Family
 

"You think I should call?"  Blair half got out of his seat.

Jim pulled him back down. "Sandburg, relax would you?  Corrinne knows what she's doing, they'll be fine."

Blair chewed his lip, then blew out a sigh.  "Yeah, I know, I know, I just get so antsy,  you know?  I just need to know she's ok."

"If I were you, I'd be more worried about  us."  Jim looked around the bar again.  "Remind me again, Chief, why are we *here?*"

Blair leaned forward and tapped the empty jug on the table.  "Two dollar pots, man.  All night.  Besides, isn't this place great?"

Jim looked around, wondering if somehow the greasy bar full of smelly bikers had suddenly turned into someplace else.  "No."

"Well not now, but this place used to be a major bar back in the early eighties. They had the trashy glitzy stuff going, it looked great.  Naomi worked here for a couple of months before we moved to Utah.  See that corner booth over there?" Jim looked over to where an immensely fat biker was sprawled in a heap, snoring loudly. "I used to do all my homework at that table.  'Course I always got kicked out back once the partiers came in."  He jiggled his leg for a moment, then got out of the seat. "I'll be back in a second, I promise."  Fishing for his cellphone, he headed for a relatively quiet corner of the bar.

Brown shook his head in amusement.  "That kid has to be the most nervous father I know."

"He's taking care of Dayna." Jim said steadily.  "This is the first time I've been able to get him out of the house for three weeks, and believe me, with Sandburg, that's saying something."

"Any clues on who the father is?"

Jim shook his head.  "None.  Just five hundred every fortnight with the paper.  Whoever he is, he doesn't want anyone to know."

"I guess he has his reasons," Brown said softly, studying his beer.

"More like he's too much of a coward to face up to his responsibilities."  The angry outburst from the normally quiet Rafe surprised them both.  The detective shook his head and apologised.  "We're cops, right? How many times have we seen this thing going on?"  he asked quietly.  "A girl gets pregnant, the father doesn't know or care, something happens to the mother and then bang the kid ends up in welfare and just gets pushed through the system.  If it wasn't for Sandburg..." He trailed off as Blair approached the table.  "Everything ok?"

"Yup, yup.  Corrinne just got Dayna to go to sleep." He looked embarrassed. "I think I woke her up again."

Brown checked his watch.  "It's 10 pm.  What she doing just getting to sleep now?  I thought kids were supposed to fall asleep early or something."

Blair shook his head as he took his seat again.  "Dayna's bouncing all over the place -"

"I wonder where she picked that up." Jim commented dryly.

Blair snorted and smacked him lightly on the shoulder. "Wise guy.  Anyway, she's just starting to try and walk.  She's pulling herself up on things and then she lets go, and she falls back down, and she's getting frustrated as hell with it.  I'm thinking of getting her one of those rolly walker thingies," he made a rolling motion across the stained table top. "But I keep thinking it's gonna be like giving a cantankerous granny a foghorn on her wheelchair.  You know,  *Meeeeeeeeeep* *ram*"

The others laughed at the accompanying hand gestures and Rafe got out of his seat,  "My round?"

"I have no objections, " said Brown generously.  Rafe grinned and collected the empty jug, heading for the bar.

Squishing himself between  two leather clad beefs, he signalled the bartender.  A little further down the long counter, another biker was getting into a fight with his girlfriend.

"You think you can just do that, bitch?  What, ten second tease, then walk away?"  he grabbed her arm as she tried to walk away.  "I'm not through talking to you." Rafe hastily forked over a bill, then moved closer.

The woman twisted her arm free.  "I'm going.  With or without your permission, I don't give  a shit, you jumped up small-dicked wino."  Rafe winced.

The biker smacked the woman heavily across the face and Rafe dropped the jug.  In two quick strides he was at the biker's back, pulling him around.  "Leave her alone," he said angrily.

The biker grinned at him, taking in his clothes.  "You got a problem, faggot?"

Rafe pushed the other man hard in the chest.  "Yeah, I've got a problem.  The problem is big dumb ass jerks like you."  He gave the biker another shove. The man skidded backwards, knocking over a chair.  "Feel like a big man?  Beating up a woman?  Feel tough?  Well, COME ON!"  Rafe yelled.  "Let's see how tough you are.  You and me.  Right now.  Let's see how tough you are against someone your own size."

The biker brought a beefy fist crashing around in a roundhouse blow.  Rafe ducked it and brought in a hard slam to the other man's ribs, following it with a left hook.  The biker staggered back into a table, shaking his head.  Wiping the blood from his lip, he roared and charged at the smaller man.  Rafe easily sidestepped the wild run and grabbed the biker by the back of his jacket, slamming him headfirst into a wall.

Rafe stalked over and grabbed the dazed man by the shirt front.  "Feeling big now, asshole?" he snarled, bringing his fist back.

Jim caught his arm before he could follow through.  "Rafe!"  Brown caught his other arm.  Getting himself under control, the detective shook off their hands and moved over to where Blair had guided the woman to a chair.  "Are you all right?" He asked gently.

She nodded dazedly, and he grabbed a glass of water from the bar. "Here, drink this."  Turning, he noticed everyone was staring at them.  And they didn't look too happy.  Unconsciously the group from Major Crimes moved closer together.

"Hey, look, everyone, it was just a misunderstanding, ok?" Blair tried to smooth things over. "Why don't I buy the next round?" Stone faces moved closer, and he ducked slightly behind his partner.  "Oh, man. This is not good."

Jim sighed and pulled out his ID.  "All right, break it up everyone.  Cascade PD."

Blair cringed.  "I really wish you hadn't said that, Jim."

 
" 'A nice night out' you said.  'No hassles, man, I know this really good place with cheap drinks.'"

Blair stumbled slightly coming off the stop step and Jim caught his arm.  "H, I did not expect you guys to go in there like the dirty dozen and take on a bunch of psychotic BIKERS!"

Jim shrugged.  "They were resisting arrest."

"Jim, man, those guys are baby-eating, psycho-watching, leather-clad space cadets!  It's all right for you guys.  You're all big tough cops. Me?  I'm supposed to be a pacifist."

"Most pacifists don't scream out war yodels while they're smashing chairs across the back of people's heads, Hairboy."

"What else was I supposed to do?  He kept kicking Rafe in the ribs."

"Personally I think it would have been more impressive if you hadn't apologised afterwards." Jim teased, pulling out his keys.

"Ha, ha, man." Blair fingered his nose ruefully.  "I think he broke my nose," he muttered, going cross-eyed trying to look downwards.

Jim paused and pushed his partners hands aside.  "Let me see."  He  brushed his fingers gently across the offending appendage, feeling for injuries.  "Not broken.  But by tomorrow it should match nicely with your eye."

"Is that your professional opinion as a medic?"

"Yup."

"Sorry," murmured Rafe.  "I just - "

Blair flapped a hand "It's ok, not broken," he grinned with a teasing look.  "It's only sprained."

Jim got the keys in the door just as Corrinne opened it.  "Oh wow. I guess I don't have to ask how your night was."

The three battered police detectives and one battered police observer staggered into the loft, looking almost comical in their attempts to be quiet.  "Jim, we got any ice?"  Blair asked, collapsing on the couch.

"Yeah."  Jim sprawled next to him. "I'll get it..." he tried to get off the couch, then sagged back "...in a bit."

"Here's the ice."  Corrinne reached over their shoulders with the wrapped packs. "Anyone want coffee?"  Four hands went up in response.  "Oh, yeah, before I forget."  She patted the anthropologist on the shoulder. "Blair, someone called...Naomi rang?  She said something about not being able to reach the cellphone."

Jim reached over, pulled the smashed phone from his partners jacket pocket and held it up.  Corrinne pursed her lips.  "Ow.  Bet that hurt."  She moved into the kitchen and put the coffee maker on.

"Yeah."  Blair spread the ice pack over his face with a blissful sigh. "I hope the PD's gonna pay for that."

"PD?"  Jim shook the phone.  It rattled unhealthily.  "Why?"

"Well if they've got a snitch fund that can cover a pair of sneakers, they'd better have a fund that covers poor struggling anthropologists that get caught in the middle of a mucho hetero cop display."  He sat up as Corrinne's words hit home, icebag sliding into his lap. "Waitaminute, Naomi called?"

Corrinne nodded, looking over her shoulder.  "She said she was on her way in, should arrive sometime tomorrow. About five, I think she said - it was a pretty bad connection.  Uh, you might want to get that ice off your crotch."

"Wha?  Aaargh!"

"Ellison! My office, now!"

Jim sighed and pushed the stroller over to the Captain's office, grinning and nodding at the hoots and catcalls echoing across the bullpen.  Weaving through the desks, he held the door open with one hand, struggling to control the stroller.  Sandburg always swore the thing had a life of its own, and Jim was beginning to believe him.

Simon tried hard not to laugh at the sight of big, mean, ex-army, ex-covert ops  Jim Ellison pushing in a baby stroller, and by all appearances, enjoying it.  The bruised cheek, and slight slouch from a gut punch served only to heighten the incongruity.  Schooling his face, he nodded curtly to the chair opposite his desk.  Jim sat down with a nod of thanks and released Dayna from the restraints, pulling her into his lap.

"I'm assuming you have some explanation for this?  Apart from thinking a sympathy vote will make me go easier on you for last night's debacle?"  Despite himself, Simon smiled as as Dayna pulled herself up on the edge of his desk, legs wobbling in Jim's lap.

"It's a one off, Sir." Jim promised, catching her as she fell back down. "Corrinne's got a job interview, and Sandburg's got morning classes.  He should be here around two o'clock to pick her up."

"Just don't make it a regular occurrence."  Simon refrained from mentioning all the times he had Daryl in his office. "Brown!  Rafe!"  he barked, seeing the other two suspects slink into the bullpen. He lowered his voice and apologised as Dayna jerked in Jim's lap, burrowing her face into his chest.  Jim picked Dayna up and held her against his chest, feeling the rapid heartbeat  slow under his soothing hands as she gazed wide-eyed over his shoulder.

The two detectives sidled in, smiling at Dayna.  Brown risked a quick, three fingered wave, only to straighten up and sober his face when Simon glared at him.

"You all know why you're here. " The police Captain began severely. "Who started it?"  Three stone faces and a giggling baby met him.  "Ellison?  Brown?"

"It was me, sir."  Rafe said steadily.

"You?"  Simon asked, surprised.  "I'm assuming you have a good reason for starting a fight in a bar full of bikers."

"No, sir." Rafe looked straight ahead.  "I'm afraid not."

"Sir, that's not exactly true."  Brown came to the defence of his partner. "Rafe interrupted an assault in progress."

"Is this true?" Simon asked.  He was slightly distracted when Dayna pulled his mouse off the desk, giggling.

"Mou!  Mou!"

Jim gently pulled it out of her hands.  "That's right, that's a mouse. "  He pushed it back onto the table.  "Sorry, Simon."

Simon waved a hand absently. "It's all right.  Well, Rafe?"

Rafe nodded. "The biker in question was arguing with a woman."  Unconsciously he clenched his fists as memories swirled back on him,  "She tried to leave and he hit her.  So I hit him."  He ducked his head.  "Then everyone sort of hit everyone else,"  he finished quietly.

Simon sat back with a sigh.  "Did it ever occur to you to call for backup?"

"No, sir."

The police Captain nodded.  "As much as I may personally agree with your reasons,  I can't  condone one of my officers starting a barfight," he sighed again and took off his glasses. "You're on desk duty for a week.  Dismissed."  The detectives nodded and filed out of his office.  "Not you, Jim."  Simon added as the Sentinel got out of his seat.

The police Captain waited until the office door had closed before letting a soft smile cross his face.  "How is she?" he asked.

Jim grinned back openly and passed the happy baby into his arms.  Dayna looked up at the Captain with big green eyes and yanked determinedly on his tie. Simon jerked forward, then extricated himself.  "She's got quite a grip, hasn't she?"

"Tell me about it.  I haven't seen Blair wear the nipple ring for months."

"Yeowch." Simon winced in sympathy.  "Jim, if it's not a stupid question - and I admit I may not want to know the answer - why were you pushing a stroller through the bullpen?  Did you feel that the others weren't harassing you enough or something?"

Jim shrugged.  "Sandburg's idea.  He complained that Dayna was getting enough sun or fresh air, getting driven everywhere."

"So you walked her.  Jim, that kid has got you so firmly wrapped around his finger - " Simon broke off as the subject of their discussion walked into the bullpen.  "Speak of the devil."  He reluctantly passed Dayna back over.  "Tell Sandburg if I catch him in another brawl I'll have him doing the entire department's paperwork for a month.  He's got a dependent now."

Jim nodded, suppressing a grin.  When hell freezes over.  When it came to paperwork, Sandburg was his and his alone.  "Will do, Captain."

Simon watched the other man leave his office, baby under one arm, uncontrollable stroller in the other.  He waited until the door had closed before bursting into laughter.

"Hey Jim."  Blair grinned as the Sentinel exited Simon's office.  "Told you about the stroller didn't I?" he said smugly as the wheels made a sharp turn, ramming into a nearby desk.

Jim apologised to the officer at the desk before glaring at his partner.  "Some help would be appreciated, you know."

Blair ducked forward and grabbed the stroller, lifting it and carrying it over to Jim's desk. "Sorry, man,"  he dumped it against the wall and turned.  Jim had already seated himself on the chair, and was trying to stop Dayna from grabbing his paperclips.  He watched as Ellison raised his head, looking across the bullpen.  "Jim?" There was an introspective look on the other man's face

"Talk to Rafe." Jim said softly.

Blair followed his gaze to where the detective was slouched at his desk.  "Sure. What's the matter?"

"Something's eating at him.  I think he'd talk better to you."

Blair nodded and headed across the Bullpen. "Hey Rafe,"  he sat down on the spare seat at the detective's desk.  "What's up?"

Rafe looked up into a puffy face garnished by a black eye and swollen nose.  "Shit, Blair, I'm sorry," he began.

Blair waved his hand "'Sok.  Done wonders for my street cred," he laughed, then turned serious.  "Want to talk about it?"

Rafe shrugged. "What's there to talk about?  He hit her, I hit him, big fight started." Hissing slightly at the pain in his ribs,  he got up out of his chair  "Want some coffee?"

"Sure."  Leaving his bag at the desk, Blair got up and followed him into the break room.

The detective poured two cups of coffee and turned to find a pair of blue eyes watching him intently.  "What?"

Blair spread his arms out. "Come on man, I've never seen you like that before,"  he pressed gently. "There has to be some reason.  Come on, I'm safe. I swear whatever you say will not go beyond these walls."

Rafe shrugged, studying his coffee. "I don't care if it does."  He shifted to a seat at the table, and Blair followed suit, waiting patiently.  There was a long silence before he started.  "My father was an alcoholic.  Used to beat up on my mother every chance he got. Thought he was a big shot.  He came home one night, after a couple of games of pool, and just whaled into her." Rafe laughed suddenly. "I was fourteen years old, a skinny runt of a kid and I tried to stop him. " He rubbed a hand across his face. "He broke my nose, and cracked a couple of ribs.  That night, my mom packed up and left him, taking us with her.  That's when I decided to become a cop. I decided that I was going to do whatever I could to stop other people going through that shit."  He took a sip of his coffee and shrugged. "I just lost it when I saw that biker hit that woman."

Blair nodded in understanding, and put a hand on the other man's arm.  "You did good, Brian,"  he said simply.

Four words, but Rafe felt himself relaxing under the unexpected praise, some measure of self worth returning.  "Thanks."

"Everything ok?" Jim asked when he came back out, idly bouncing Dayna on his lap.

Blair nodded.  "Yeah, fine." He didn't offer any more information and Jim didn't press.  "Hello Dayna!" The Grad student exclaimed exclaimed, squatting in front of Jim.  "What have you been up to?"

Dayna gave a squeal of excitement and launched herself into his arms.  "Da!"

Blair chuckled and lifted her up into the air.  "Dad!  That's right!  Aren't you clever?  Can you say Jim?"  he asked, pointed to the amused Sentinel.

"Ji!"  Dayna shouted, tugging on a curl.  Blair winced and gently disentangled her hand from his hair.  "Jim, man, we gotta get going," he said, swinging the giggling baby into the stroller.  "Naomi said she'd be there soon.   Knowing her, she's probably already rearranged the furniture."

Jim nodded absently, looking around the bullpen.  Somewhere among the mass of computer noises and paper rustling, he had heard a heartbeat spike painfully when Dayna had called Blair 'dad.'  He tried piggybacking his sight onto the sound, but there was too much interference and Sandburg was tugging on his sleeve.  "Jim?  You ok?"

The Sentinel shook himself and looked down into his partner's worried blue eyes. "Yeah.  Come on, let's get going."

"I told you, this thing is demonically possessed!"  Blair grumbled, fighting the stroller through the elevator doors.  Dayna giggled as the stroller hit a bump and gleefully tossed her keys onto the floor.

Jim ducked past and scooped them up on his way to the Loft.  "Maybe you should try some jungle magic, witch doctor,"  he grinned.

"That's funny Jim.  Real funny." Blair groused.  The change bag slipped down the handlebars and jammed in the wheels.  "Stupid little..."  He looked up to where Jim was paused in the corridor sniffing the air. "Jim? What is it, man?"

Sage.  Jim sniffed again, then sneezed. "Naomi's here," he said resignedly.

Blair pushed opened the door.  "Oh, baby." Naomi held out her arms and Blair ran into them, holding her in a crushing hug.

"Mom." he said, voice muffled in her shoulder.

"I heard the news." she murmured into his hair.  "Dayna..."

"Oh, yeah," Blair pulled back, rubbing his hand across his nose, wiping his eyes.  "Jim's got her." He gestured vaguely over his shoulder to where the detective was unbuckling the stroller restrainers.

Naomi pulled him in for another hug, then held him out at arm's length.  "Sweetie, what happened to your face?" she exclaimed.

"Oh, this?"  Blair made a vague circular gesture around his face.  "Nothing.  Just got caught in a bar fight, is all."  He took her hand and tugged her over to the couch.  "Come and see Dayna."

Jim handed her over gratefully.  "Smells like your duty, Chief."

"Remind me to thank you some time, Jim."  Blair pulled a face of mock disgust, grimacing as the smell hit him.

"Me? What'd I do?"

"It's not you, it's all those donut pieces you keep sneaking her. Do you have any idea what they come out like?  Especially those buttermilk ones.  Don't pull that innocent face with me, man, I've seen you do it."  He grabbed the change bag and headed for his room, still grumbling.  "Least thing you could do is do it behind my back," he muttered.

Naomi exchanged an amused glance with Ellison, who shrugged. "Hi Jim," she said brightly.

Blair held out his hands, grinning as two chubby fingers wrapped around his. "Come on Dayna, that's it," he encouraged as she wobbled to her feet.  Naomi smiled as she watched them, curled up on the couch.  Her beautiful baby boy with a child of his own.  Guess that makes me a grandmother she thought ruefully.

She and Jim cheered and clapped as Dayna took one hesitant step, then another, gripping firmly on her adoptive father's hands.  A look of fierce concentration crossed her face as Blair backed across the rug on his knees, and she let go of one hand.  Blair immediately recaptured it, then caught her as she fell backwards.  "Whoa, easy does it."  He leaned on his back and settled her on his stomach.  "That was good Dayna!"  he praised.  "Gimme five."  He held up a hand and Dayna took a wild swing, connecting lightly with the side of his palm.

Jim got off the couch at the knock on the door. "I'll get it."

Corrinne was standing there, a portable heater tucked under one arm.  "Hi Jim. I brought your heater back - they finally fixed the gas at my place." She handed it over, then stopped at the tableau in the lounge.  "Oh, sorry, am I interrupting something?"

Blair looked up at her and waved a hand "Come in." He made the introductions from the floor.  "Mom, this Corrinne.  Corrinne, this is my mom, Naomi."

"Please to meet - " Corrinne extended a hand, then sneezed.  "Sorry, I'm -"  she sneezed again. And again. And again.  "Oh no!" she wailed, diving for the paper towels on the kitchen counter, still sneezing.

"Honey, that doesn't sound too good at all." Naomi said.  "Have you tried some sage?"

Corrinne groaned and buried her nose in a wad of paper towels as the phone rang.  Jim gave her a concerned glance and picked it up "Ellison," he said over the sound of sneezing.

"Jim, Simon."  The Captain blinked at the noises coming over from the other end of the line.  He could pick up Dayna's giggles and what sounded like...sneezes? "Do you have those files on that Dolson case?"

"Yeah."  Jim could have kicked himself.  "I actually brought them in today, but I left them in Dayna's bag."

"Could you bring them in now?  I want to get this case cleared up before the DA arrives."

"Sure."  Jim moved over to Blair's room and scooped the bag up.   "I'll bring them over now." he said, unzipping a compartment and reaching in.

"Good. I'll see you then." Simon hung up just before an expletive rang through the Loft.

Blair sat up, grabbing Dayna before she could slide off his lap.  "Jim?"

The detective came out of his room holding something slimy gingerly between two fingers. "SANDBURG!" he bellowed.

Blair eventually recognised the slimy something as a police folder. "Oh, man."

"What - *tsh* - happened?" Corrinne got out.

"Baby food happened."  Jim glared, "All over the files for the Dolson case." A piece of applesauce slimed down one side and dripped on the floor.

Corrinne couldn't help it.  She started to laugh.  Then she started sneezing all over again.  Jim took one look at her face and started to laugh himself.  He had to admit, it was pretty funny.  That started the other two off.   Finally Corrinne tapered off, and waved a hand. "I gotta - *tsh* - get going.  Before my nose explodes or something. Nice to have - *tsh*- met you, Naomi."

"I'll give you a lift."  Jim dumped a handful of applesauce in the sink, then grabbed his jacket.  "Naomi, Blair, I have to go get this thing - " he shook the file, spattering sauce on the floor  "- redone for Simon.  I'll be back in a bit."

Blair grinned "Ok, Jim.  I'll see if I can get this place desauced.  The lid probably came off that tupperware thingie in her bag or something."  With a final wave and sneeze, the other two departed.

Blair chuckled, then handed Dayna to his mother and grabbed a chuck cloth.  "Oh, man.  The look on Jim's face was priceless."  He mopped a few chunks from the floor. "I wonder what set Corrinne off?  Maybe she's allergic to Sage too?"

"Is Corrinne seeing Jim?" Naomi asked, Dayna tugging on her earrings.

Blair paused in his moppings, a puzzled look on his face.  "No.  Why?"

Naomi leaned forward conspiratorially "I think she's a perfect match for Jim."

"Mom," Blair gave a resigned chuckle, shaking his head.

"Honey, I can see it.  I thought at some time you and Jim would have -"

"Naomi!"

"- but I was wrong.  Blair, there's nothing wrong with two men loving each other."

"I know that.  But...Jim?"  Blair laughed. "I mean, even if I did, he is so not my type.  I mean, he is, I mean, he would be, but he's just...Jim, you know?"

Naomi nodded. "I hear that."

Jim chuckled as Corrinne sneezed. "What?" She looked up at him, one hand cupping her nose. "I'm allergic to Sage," she snuffled. "One sniff and I turn into the human snot factory."

Jim grimaced.  "Delightful."

"What's your excuse?"

"Enhanced sense of smell." He fished a pack of Kleenex out of the glove compartment and proffered it.

"Oh, right."  Corrinne pulled out a handful of tissues gratefully. "Thanks.  I forgot about that."

"Don't use all the tissues." Jim warned.  "Naomi usually stays a week."

"Right."  Corrinne wiped her nose again. "Wanna stay at my place?" She offered.

Jim pulled the car up outside her apartment block.  "Corrinne, I wouldn't even fit in your apartment."

"Doesn't matter, it's the thought that counts." She sneezed and got out of the car.  "I'll see you later.  Naomi said she's ok to look after Dayna for a while, which is probably good since I can't stop sneezing around her," she chuckled. "I'll see you later, ok?"

"Sure."  Jim watched her walk into the building, then turned the truck around and headed for the PD.

"Idiot!"  Blair smacked himself in the forehead.

"What is it?"

"Oh man, I knew I had to remind Jim of something.  I forgot to tell him to get the Bok Choy for that stir fry."  Blair reached for his jacket. "If I'm lucky, I can get there and back before he polishes off that paperwork."

"Oh I can do that."  Naomi said cheerfully.

"You sure?" Blair asked hesitantly .

Naomi nodded and put a hand on his arm.  "Blair, honey, you look wiped. Why don't I take Dayna for a stroll down with me?  You  look like you could do with the sleep."

Blair grinned.  "Yeah sure, I mean, you brought me up, I guess you can handle Dayna for half an hour.  You'll wake me up when you get back, right?"  Naomi nodded.  "Make sure you get that fresh stuff - otherwise it turns out all blech.  There's a good place just down on the main drag - the stuff there is always good and fresh."

"Blair," Naomi said tolerantly.

"Yeah, right.  Sorry, I'm used to talking to Jim.  The closest he gets to cooking Chinese is reheating the leftovers."  Blair grabbed a jacket off the back of the couch and shrugged Dayna into it.  "Don't be too long - it's probably gonna get cold tonight, and I want Dayna inside where it's warm."

"Yes, Blair, I know."

"Sorry, sorry."  Blair hovered for a moment, then kissed her cheek.  "Thanks mom. It's good to see you again."

Naomi drew him into a hug.  "I know honey. It's good to see you again too.  Now go!  Sleep!  I want to come back and see those beautiful eyes awake."   Blair chuckled and headed for his room while Naomi opened the door and left.

Jim grunted and resisted the urge to put his fist through the monitor in front of him.  A computer glitch had wiped the report on file, which meant he had to retype the entire thing.  At least he had a hardcopy to work from, albeit a lumpy, baby food-stained hardcopy.

With a sigh, he opened a new file and started typing. Hopefully he could get it up and done and be home in time for dinner.  He knew how much trouble one Sandburg could get up to.  And he'd seen what two of them could do.   God only knew what three of them were capable of....

Naomi took a deep breath and tried again.  She had made the mistake of folding up the stroller when she entered the store, preferring to carry Dayna, and was now faced with fun prospect of trying to get it unfolded again.  I'm letting this go, I'm letting this go...  She almost snarled when it clapped shut again, jamming her finger. I'm letting this go..what I'd really like to do is throw it out in front of the nearest garbage truck.  She took a step back, another deep breath,  then started all over again.

"Can I help?"  A middle-aged man bent down to help her disentangle the stroller.  "My god, " he said suddenly.  "Naomi?"

"Timothy?!" Naomi laughed delightedly and gave the man a hug. "How are you?!"

The man shrugged easily. "Same old, same old."

"I hear that."

Timothy looked down at the child nestled on one hip. "Your daughter's beautiful," he smiled, ruffling the soft black curls slightly.

"Oh, Dayna's not my daughter, she's Blair's."  Naomi jiggled Dayna on her hip.  "You're my beautiful baby boy's aren't you?"  Dayna giggled, chewing on her plastic keys.

Timothy shook his head.  "You a grandmother? I don't believe it. You look incredible."

For the first time in a while, Naomi found herself blushing. "Thank you. So do you."

Timothy ran a rueful hand over his silver hair.  "Not as colourful as I used to be. How long has it been?" He shook his head in disbelief. "Ten years?"

Naomi slapped him lightly on the shoulder.  "Please, I feel old enough as it is," she laughed.

Timothy finished straightening out the stroller and made a grand gesture. "My lady's carriage awaits."

"Thank you."  Naomi put Dayna down in the seat and knelt to fasten the restraints. "I was beginning to think I was going to have the death of an innocent stroller on my Karma." She straightened and took hold of the handlebars.

"Can I buy you a coffee?" Timothy offered.
 
Naomi hesitated, then looked up at the sun.  There was still plenty of sunlight left. "All right.  But we can't be too long."  She pushed the stroller towards a nearby coffee shop, chatting all the way.

"Chief?"  Jim opened the door to the loft.  The interior was silent, only a few lights flickering on.  "Naomi?"  He picked up a slight whiffle of breath from the lower bedroom and walked across the lounge to peer in the door.  Blair was huddled on his bed under a pile of blankets.  Smiling, Jim shook his shoulder. "Wake up sleeping beauty."

"Jim?"  Blair blinked, then sat up yawning.  "Man, you're back early.  Who'd you bribe to do your typing?"

Jim shook his head.  "Sandburg, I've been gone for almost three hours.  There was a computer glitch and a major traffic jam."

"Three hours?"  Blair groaned.  "Damn, I told Naomi to wake me up. I was going to have dinner ready.  I supposed she's already cooked it and got it dished up on the table?"

Jim frowned. "Naomi isn't here."

"What?!"  Blair shoved the blankets off him.  "What do you mean she's not here? She only went down to the shops!"  He yanked on a pair of sweats. "She took Dayna with her so I could get some sleep. It was only supposed to be for half an hour."  He sat down suddenly. "Oh man, Jim. We gotta find them."

"Calm down, Sandburg."  Jim put a hand on his partners shoulder. "She's probably just taking her time."

Blair shrugged his hand off.   "Calm down?!  Taking her time?! Jim, it may have escaped your notice, but it does not take three hours to go down and buy some Bok Choy!"  he pushed himself off the bed, running his fingers through his hair.  "I'm gonna go take a drive around, see if I can find them."

Jim stopped him. "I'll drive around. I want you to stay here in case she comes back."

"Stay here?" Blair shook his head. "I can't do that Jim.  I'll go nuts waiting here."

"What if she calls?" Jim pointed out.  "I still have to get a new cellphone.  What if she's stuck somewhere and needs a lift?"

Blair eventually subsided.  "Ok, I'll stay here.  But you gotta let me know if you find 'em, Jim.  I'm gonna be climbing the walls."

"Scouts honour."  Jim grabbed his jacket and car keys, then paused in the door.  Blair was standing in the middle of the lounge, looking like a lost waif.  Going with his feelings, Jim crossed the distance in three long strides and pulled his partner into a hug.  "They'll be ok, Chief,"  he murmured.

Blair gratefully returned the hug.  "Thanks, man.  I hope so.  I really hope so."  He pulled away.  "Go on, Jim, go. Before I end up on the roof," he joked weakly.

Jim nodded and headed swiftly out the door.  Blair waited until it closed, then slumped on the couch.  "Oh man."  He started praying to all the deities he knew.

Jim drove slowly down the main street, ignoring the yells of motorists behind him.  He turned his hearing up on high, searching for that rapid little heartbeat he knew as well as Sandburg's and his own.   He carefully scanned the Chinese supermarket, tuning out the extraneous sounds.  Nothing.

He was focusing on a coffee shop next door when a horn blared behind him, cutting savagely into his ears.  Jim hurriedly turned his hearing down and glared at the revhead as he burned past, flicking a finger out the window at the Ford.

Shaking his head, the Sentinel continued onwards, scanning the surrounding shops for that familiar heartbeat.

Blair looked up hopefully when Jim returned.  "Any luck?"

Jim shook his head. "No sign.  I'm gonna call out for an APB."  Blair nodded and continued pacing, running a groove into the mat as Jim made the call.

When Naomi came back an hour later, Blair went thermonuclear.  "Where have you been?!" he yelled, as Jim called out, cancelling the APB.

Naomi looked up at the clock "Honey, I was only gone a few hours. I'm sorry, I guess I kind of lost track of time.  You won't believe who I ran into..."

"A few hours?!  Take a long look at the clock,  Naomi!" Blair turned his gaze down to the howling Dayna.  Unfastening the restraints, he pulled her possessively into his arms.  "Shh, it's ok, Dayna, it's ok."  He stroked her hair back, fingers ghosting over her cut lip. "What happened to her?!"

Naomi calmly hung her shawl up on the hook by the door. "Blair, it's nothing, just a cut lip.  She bumped it on a table in the cafe when she was trying to stand.  You did far worse when you were a child,"  she laughed.  "I remember this one time you - "

"This is not about me, mom!" Blair yelled, seeing red.  "This is Dayna.  This is my daughter.  I don't want her having the same sort of life I did!"

The words fell into the suddenly silent air of the Loft.  Jim stepped forward.  "Sandburg - "

"Jim, could you take Dayna for a lie down?" Naomi interrupted smoothly.  "I think Blair and I need to talk."  Jim hesitated, then nodded, taking the hiccoughing baby from his partner's arms and moving for the lower bedroom.  Blair didn't meet his gaze, staring straight at the floor.

I don't want her having the same life I did! God, was it really me that said those words? He threw himself down onto the couch, cupping his face in his hands. "I didn't mean for it to come out that way," he said quietly.

He heard the soft creak of the springs, then light breathing as Naomi sat down next to him.  "What did you mean, honey?" she asked gently.

Blair shook his head.  "Nothing.  It's nothing."  He made to get up, but Naomi put a hand on his shoulder.

"Blair, we've never kept anything from each other before.  I want you to tell me what's wrong."

He paused for a moment, trying to sort his thoughts.  Where to start?  Sorry mom, but growing up without a father really sucked sometimes, and at times, I almost hated you for it.

No.

Hey, mom, you know how you used to go out all the time?  I used to sit there for ages wondering if you'd come back, and now I thought you'd pissed off with my kid?

No.  He blew out a deep breath.  None of it was really true.  There had been times when was growing up when he'd been scared, yeah.  Hurt?  Par for the course.  But he'd sprung back, he'd always known Naomi would be there for him.  She'd been his mom, his best friend, his confidant.  Supporting him ever so slightly, until he wasn't afraid to walk on his own.  Then they'd gone their separate ways.  Separating from Naomi had hurt the most of all the partings, but Blair had survived it.  Gone on, moving around, blowing where his interests took him.

From the other room, he could hear Dayna's delighted squeals and weird blarting sounds as Jim blew raspberries on her stomach to cheer her up.

Until he met Jim.  That particular little happenstance had really thrown a spanner in the works of the good old Sandburg self-reliance machine. For the first time in his life, he had found someone other than his mom to rely on.  Someone who would always be there for him.  In some strange way, the feeling that Jim needed him made him more secure.  And then Dayna. In three short years, he had gone from permanent drifter to a family man.  That's what had scared him.  The thought of losing two of the most important people in his life.

"Mom....Dayna....I thought I'd lost her.  I thought I'd maybe lost you.  I just couldn't live with that."  All the feelings of the past year swirled in and dragged him under.  "I just couldn't live with that,"  he repeated quietly, on the verge of tears.

"Oh, baby.." Naomi drew him into a hug, rocking him slightly.

That simple confession was all it took for Blair to open the floodgates. "I-I guess it's all crashing down on me.  I mean, Dayna...her father knows.  He has to know.  And he doesn't care." A slight sob shook his shoulders.  " I just don't want her to go through that.  Not knowing her father, just...drifting around, wondering deep down who she really is."  He could tell Jim was probably listening, but he didn't mind.

"Like you." Naomi completed softly.  She leaned back on the couch and patted his knee. "Blair, when I was pregnant with you, your father was so exited!  He kept talking about how we were going to settle down somewhere, get married, all the games he was going to teach you, all the things you were going to see."

Blair shook his head.  A father to bring him up, teach him things...a home.  Everything he'd ever dreamed of.  "What happened?"

"Honey, I tried."  Naomi rubbed his shoulder comfortingly.  "I really did.  We lived together for almost eight months.  But I couldn't live his life.  I couldn't be happy, staying home all day and baking cakes. I needed to be free."

"So you left."  Blair looked up at last.  "Why didn't you go back, mom?" he asked quietly.  "Why didn't you give me the chance to know my own father?"

Naomi looked down to where her hands were twisting in her lap.  "I did.  Three months after you were born, I went back.  He deserved to see you, his beautiful baby boy.  You needed to know your father.  But he wasn't there.   The house was empty.  I stayed in that town for nearly a year, looking for him.  But no-one could tell me where he was, where he had gone." She looked up, eyes bright with unshed tears.  "So I moved on."

"Mom,"  Blair wrapped his arms around her.  "Mom, I am so sorry, I didn't-"

"Shhhh. " Naomi returned the hug, stroking his hair gently. "It's ok, sweetie, I know you didn't."  And somewhere in between they both found healing.

In the lower bedroom, Jim smiled and picked up Dayna.  "Come on, squirt, let's go see what the family's up to."

Blair looked up at the jangle of keys in the door.  "It's open!" he yelled, shifting Dayna to sit beside him. She was staring wide eyed at the animals of Kenya on the discovery channel.

The door opened partway.  An arm snaked through the narrow gap, the attached hand waving a jumbo-sized box of Kleenex.  "I came prepared..."

Blair laughed and walked over, pulling the door open fully. "Come in, Corrinne. I forgot to ask you yesterday, how was the job interview?"

"The usual," Corrinne  dumped the tissues on the counter. "Blah blah blah blah call you later, didn't get the job."  They sat on the couch and Dayna immediately crawled onto her lap. "Hey Dayna. Oh, I nearly forgot, I've got a present for you!"  She pulled a brown baby-sized fedora from her backpack and plonked it on Dayna's head.  "Indiana Jones, eat your heart out." Dayna giggled and pulled it off, chewing on the brim.   "Where're the others?" Corrinne asked, looking around.

Blair shrugged.  "Jim's finishing up at the PD, and mom's meditating in my room.  She's got a lot of stuff to process."

Corrinne nodded.  "Yeah, I could do with some processing myself.  I swear, every time a business sees me coming, they immediately hire someone else.  I've resigned myself to serving chicken for the rest of my life." She leaned back on the couch and grinned.  "So, " she began conversationally. "You think Naomi and Jim are gonna do the nasty?"

Blair sprayed his coffee across the room. "Corrinne!" He hastily set the cup on the table, mopping the spills up with his sleeve.

"Oh come on Blair, you could see the electricity *sparking* between those two."

"Maybe you could, but come on!  That's my mom! And Jim?  That is not a mental image I want to dwell on."  Blair cast a conspiratory look over his shoulder before patting her on the arm.  "Actually, " he chuckled, "Naomi was saying the same thing about *you* and Jim."

Corrinne shook her head and smiled.  "Not gonna happen."

"Really? Why not?"  Now that someone else had ditched the idea, Blair could see the merits. "I mean, they say the strongest relationships are formed out of friendship, right?"

"Not gonna happen" Corrinne repeated, grinning.

"No, seriously, what's to stop you? You both know about each other's Sentinel abilities, so there's no skulking around trying to hide it."  Blair was warming to the subject now.   "Maybe you should try it.  I mean, just go out to dinner a couple times, get to know each other better - nothing serious.  I mean, I'm not suggesting you two just jump into bed together..."

He could see Corrinne's shoulders shaking, then a full bodied laugh tore its way out of her throat.  "What?"

"It's not ...gonna...happen,"  she giggled. "Ever."

Blair spread his arms out in puzzlement. "Why not?"

"To put it bluntly, he is so not my type."  Blair twisted his eyebrows in confusion and she elaborated.  "Well, he's the wrong sex for starters...."

"Huh?"  Realisation kicked in. "Oh!" he smacked himself in the forehead. "You're a - " he saw the funny side, and started to laugh, hard. "And I was trying to -" he couldn't finish the sentence as they both howled with laughter.

Jim came in the front door and caught their grins. "What's so funny?" he asked.

"Nothing." Blair sniggered, flapping a hand.

"Woman's things." Corrinne got out and they both lost it again.

"Ooookay." Jim shrugged, hanging his jacket up.  Truth be told, he didn't really want to know.  But it was good to see Blair relaxed and laughing again.

"Hey, Chief, " he began, moving into the lounge.  "I was thinking, it's Naomi's last night, why don't we go out some place fancy for dinner?  Corrinne?" he offered, "You know, I think it'd be a good chance to get know each other better."

"That sounds wonderful, Jim." Naomi smiled, coming out of Blair's room. She looked nonplused at the two hysterical people rolling around on the floor.  "Was it something I said?"

Jim shrugged. "Kids, " he said in a resigned voice.

All Content Copyright © 2001 Taleya Joinson
Last modified: November 12, 2010