Author's webpage: http://www.skeeter63.org/~k9kennel/

Everything's Jake - Part Two
by alyjude

Jim had seen the pond, had enjoyed Jake's introductions to all the fish as the boy had squatted down, hand trailing in the water, and now Jim was being led by the finger up the stoop and into Blair's apartment.

Jake managed to pull open the screen and using both hands, turned the knob and pushed open the door. He stepped aside proudly and let Jim precede him inside.

Ellison didn't have a chance to look around as Jake immediately latched onto his jeans and tugged him toward the far wall.

"wat-usi mask. they gave it to blair because he made them laugh." Small fingers gently ran themselves over the scary but noble visage of the carved wood and the pride in Jake's voice was unmistakable. Like a son for a father's accomplishments.

Jim was pushed further to the right to find himself facing the shield that had been a bone of contention between him and Sandburg in their early roommate days.

"norubu used this to save blair's life. a charging," Jake scrunched up his face, his lips curling back, eyes narrowing to show a fierce beast, "rhino."

Again - unmistakable pride.

Jim knelt down next to the boy and slipping his arm around the child's waist, said, "Want to know a secret?"

Jake's eyes grew round with anticipation as he nodded eagerly. "but i can tell blair, can't i?"

Jim grinned. "He already knows." Then he pointed up the mask and said, "The Watusi gave that to Blair for his knowledge and assistance when a terrible brush fire threatened their cattle. Although, I suspect he did make them laugh." Jim then rested his left hand on the shield and lowering his voice said, "and it was Blair who saved Norubu's life."

He took Jake's right hand and ran it over the left edge, letting the boy feel the chips. "Blair used it like a frisbee. He tossed it at the rhino, which gave him and Norubu time to climb a tree."

Jake's blue eyes were now impossibly round as he hung on every word Jim spoke. His hand moved almost reverantly over the shield.

"wow."

Grinning wide, Jim agreed. "Yeah, wow."

Jim straightened and added, "Going to show me around?" He found his pant leg being tugged again and this time he was led to the dining room. Jim couldn't help the smile as he noticed the card table strewn with Blair's books, keys, papers, bills and checkbook.

They walked through a swinging kitchen door and with a flourish, Jake waved his hand as he announced proudly, "that's where i sit. this morning, we had mickey mouse pancakes with boysenbury surup."

Jim licked his lips and responded sadly, "All I had was a cold bagel." Looking crestfallen, Jake offered, "you can eat brekkie with us tomorrow, okay? and you are having lunch and dinner with us. we're having grilled cheese with parmshawn tonight."

"No way I could turn that down, Jake."

They were interrupted by Blair, who walked in and straight to the sink. As he turned on the faucet, he asked, "So Jake, did you give Jim the grand tour?"

"yep. and i know a se-kret."

Scrubbing at his greasy hands and forearms, Blair whistled. "Oh, you do, do you? Am I allowed in on it?"

Giggling, Jake responded, "you already know it."

Jim reached over Jake's head, swiped a kitchen towel from a peg and handed it to Sandburg, saying, "Seems Jake didn't have all the facts regarding a certain mask and shield. I simply filled him in. And you missed a spot, Chief." He flicked his finger at Blair's chin and cheek where two long streaks of grease warred with his unshaven face. Jim pressed his thumb on Sandburg's nose and to happy laughter from Jake, added, "And here, another spot." He rubbed as Blair waved his arms and tried to bat Jim's hand away.

"Hey, give me a break. I was rescuing some pipes here, man." As he swatted, his hand brushed Jim's and both men paused. Once again their eyes caught, held, emotions flickering in blue depths. And once again, Jim looked away.

Blair moved past him and asked with only a hint of sarcasm, "Uh, Jim, aren't you a bit early?"

"A bit."

Sandburg made a show of checking his watch and ticking off the hours on his fingers. "Gee, you're right. Only a bit - like - five, six hours."

He dropped the towel back onto the peg and smiled down at Jake, who didn't look at all confused by the dialogue between Jim and Blair. "Why don't you show Jim your room?"

"oh yeah! ya gotta see my room. please?"

"Let's go, kid."

"Why you two wax poetic over Tonka trucks, and Jake, make sure you show Jim all of them, I'll jump in the shower, change and we'll head out for that costume." Blair gave Jim his best smirk as Jake led him out of the kitchen.

Showered, shaved and dressed in clean blue jeans and a dark blue sweater, Blair walked into Jake's room. He wasn't surprised to find Jim sitting on the floor with his new roommate, both busy careening trucks around the floor.

All Sandburg could think was that big, tough, macho Jim Ellison, Covert Ops, Sentinel of the Great City and once known as Slick and possessed of a goatee and a pierced ear...

...was playing with Tonka trucks and a four year old wunderkind named Jake.

Where was a camera when he really needed one?

A red and white truck slammed into his foot and making a sound like a siren, Blair announced in his best cop voice, "License and registration please?"

"oops. jim isn't a very good driver."

"I'm painfully aware of that fact, Jake. Think I should arrest him?"

"ticket, then arrest him."

Jim held up his hands and warned, "If arrested, I can't buy lunch for everybody at Toadies. Just thought I should mention that."

Jake gazed up at Blair and said in a stage whisper, "think you should let him go if he promises to buy me a hot fudge sun-day?"

"I don't know Jake. That borders on a bribe." He turned to Jim and said, "But if he promises to buy both of us a hot fudge sundae, I'll let him go with only a stern warning."

Jake got on his hands and knees, then waggling one eyebrow waggling at Jim, offered, "jail or hot fudge?"

"Tough one, Jake, but I'll go with - hot fudge sundaes all around. Let's go."

They moved silently down the aisle.

Occasionally they'd pause, Blair would point and Jake would shake his head. Every now and then, Blair would say, good decision, Hoss and they'd continue on as Jim followed behind, a half smile permanently fixed on his face.

They'd come to the end of the last aisle, Jake's shoulders slumping, his feet shuffling. Still no mask.

"Hey buddy, there are other stores. We'll find it." As he spoke, Jim rested a hand on the small, dejected shoulder.

"second store -- no mask. gotta be the bestest, i saw it, i'll know it, but - but..."

Blair stopped and stared, then quirked his head to the left. Slowly he reached out and buried his hand in the melange of Halloween junk on the shelf in front of him. "Uh, Jake?"

The boy glanced up and watched, amazed, as Blair drew out a rubber mask. The perfect rubber mask. He shook it out a bit, punched the rubber back into shape, combed his fingers through the long, white hair and then held it up for Jake.

"oooooh."

Small hands reached up and Blair let the anxious fingers take the mask. He and Jim watched as Jake turned it, inspected it, checked it out from every possible angle, then put it on.

Two blue eyes blinked up at Blair from behind the visage of an ancient and powerful wizard. Albeit a short, ancient and powerful wizard.

"Show Jim."

The great wizard Jake turned slowly and looked up expectantly.

Jim stepped back and thoughtfully rubbed his chin and starting at the bottom, he mentally catalogued Jake's appearance.

Ratty white tennis shoes, jeans that bunched at the ankles, a red tee shirt, two pale, skinny arms, long white hair and - a face that would have sent Merlin to his knees in hushed awe and wonder.

Nodding in satisfaction and giving Jake a thumb's up, he suggested, "We need a cape, Oh Great Wizard. A long, black, swirling cape."

Blair put his hand on Jake's shoulder and turned him around. "Or maybe - a long gray poncho, tied with a thick brown cord?"

The Great Wizard nodded excitedly, barely containing his bounce as he rolled up on his toes and back down again.

"Okay, let's get the candy and amscray."

"the poncho?" asked The Great Wizard.

"At home, Oh Great Wizard Jake. Blairgorgon has just the thing in his closet. We shall steal it tonight, before he awakes."

"make it so."

Blair glanced up at Jim and smiled. "Too much Star-Trek TNG, you think?"

"Definitely."

Jake just giggled. Which sounded very strange coming from behind the face of a great wizard.

The Volvo's backseat was filled with bags containing Halloween candy and the necessary decorations to transform both Blair's apartment and the courtyard into the appropriately spooky cemetary for Tuesday. Wedged into the corner sat Jim, knees scrunched almost to his chin and not minding one bit.

They had one more stop before lunch. The Pumpkin Patch.

Blair pulled into the large parking lot at the Cascade Falls Mall, drove to the back, found a parking space and swung in. After shutting down the engine, he turned to Jake, ready to unbuckle him, but the boy's face stopped him.

Jake was gazing at the sight in front of him with rapt attention, mouth slightly open, lips formed into a silent o. Blair followed the hypnotic stare.

The Pumpkin Patch covered almost one square mile of the back parking lot of the mall. For Halloween it was fenced off, and in the middle of the fenced lot sat a huge red and white striped tent. Surrounding the tent sat hundreds of pumpkins.

Small pumpkins, large pumpkins, squat pumpkins, misshapen pumpkins, fat pumpkins, tall, skinny pumpkins, decorated pumpkins, fake pumpkins. And surrounding the pumpkins were several colorful booths.

One booth sold cooked turkey legs, one sold fruit flavored Slurpies, one booth sold cotton candy and popcorn, and several sold crafts and handmade goodies like jams, jellies, brownies, cakes and cookies. In the far corner sat the ultimate experience for any small child - a petting zoo.

And to top it off, just outside the gate, a few feet from the Volvo, a haywagon waited for a full load of children. Once full, the wagon, drawn by a dapple gray mare with a straw hat perched on her head, would travel around the parking lot before depositing its passengers back at the patch and reload.

Blair got out and hurried around, torn between watching Jake or watching Jim trying to peel himself from the backseat of the Volvo. As Jim finally stood, stretched and unkinked his back, Blair freed Jake from the car seat and set him down. The boy didn't move as he tried to take everything in all at once.

"Ready to go in, Hoss?"

One arm reached up, soon followed by the other and Blair correctly interpreted the move. He lifted Jake into his arms, but before settling him against his hip, he pointed up. Jake whispered, "please?" Blair immediately hoisted him up and over his head until two legs dropped down over his shoulders. Sandburg's head tilted back, his eyes lifting as he asked, "You comfortable? You can see everything?"

With hands gripping Blair's hair, Jake answered reverantly, "yes. can we go in now?"

"Who's the Great Wizard here?"

Jake removed one hand from Blair's head and pointed toward the pumpkins as he commanded, "go forth, my trusty steed."

Jim managed to contain himself until they passed several bales of hay, then he plucked out a few pieces and held them under Blair's nose. "Here you go, trusty steed. This should keep you going until lunch."

"I'd say something rude, Ellison, but I have the Great Wizard Jake on my shoulders."

Laughing, Jim held open the gate and the three entered pumpkinland.

Jim held up a pumpkin and watched as Jake shook his head and pointed. Jim picked up another pumpkin. Blair made a twirling motion with his finger and Jim turned the pumpkin around in his hands. Jake shook his head and pointed again. Jim picked up that choice and watched unsurprised, as Jake turned that one down too.

"Uh, Jim? Might I suggest you use your special pumpkin finding skills here? I just heard the distinct sound of a stomach growling. The natives are restless."

"Right. Good idea, trusty steed."

"Jim, don't walk behind me."

Jim smirked, even as he trained his vision on the pumpkins. And was this a first? Using his Sentinel abilities to find the perfect pumpkin? Had to be.

It took him all of five seconds before he spotted it. He rushed over, plucked it up from the middle pile of about twenty-five and held it up for inspection.

"you found it!"

Two collective sighs of relief followed the exclamation.

They had seen every booth, purchased one cotton candy, split between the three of them and watched delightedly as Jake tasted the sweet, gooey concoction for the first time.

They'd visited the petting zoo and fed the animals, Blair taking particular enjoyment as one goat took a liking to Jim and started following him, nibbling at his jacket between bouts of trying to hump him. Major Crime was going to hear about this first thing Monday morning. Oh, yeah.

Jake had taken the hay ride, squealing in delight and now, finally, they had the perfect pumpkin which had the seat of honor, up front with Blair and Jake. Jim did another squeeze job into the back seat and they were off for lunch at Toadies.

(0(0(0)

Toadies was a parent hang-out, plain and simple and as Blair walked in, he gave a brief thought to how Jim had known about it.

This was the place parents came to eat with other parents while the kids, using mallets, tried to kill small creatures that popped out of holes.

There was a huge rubber room full of foam balls for the children to exorcise their demon energy, and in case that didn't do it, there was skittle ball and video games.

While the children wreaked havoc in the controlled environment, parents could sit at benches, guzzle beer, eat pizza, burgers, meatball sandwiches, gourmet pastas and talk shop, gossip, make-up, whose kid was smarter, who took their first step the earliest, who was still wetting the bed and who could read a full sentence before they were six months. In other words - parent heaven.

For Blair, it was just weird and for Jim, it was - loud. And bright. And kids were running loose everywhere.

Sandburg put his hand on Jim's back and whispered, "you know the drill, Ellison." Jim nodded, closed his eyes a moment, worked his magic and sighed in relief. Blair shook his head in amazement. Even after all this time, Jim still had to be reminded that he could dial things down.

For Jake - Toadies was - everything. His head moved from side to side, eyes skittering to his left, his right, to the floor, the ceiling, following other children as they ran past, laughing and giggling, then going back as large, alive stuffed animals walked through the restaurant, passing out balloons.

A large purple rabbit stopped in front of Jake and handed him a bright yellow balloon. Surprised, he took it as amazed blue eyes followed the string up to the round, swaying mylar. Blair grinned and immediately knelt in front of him, took the string and tied it around Jake's wrist.

"There, now you won't lose it. When we get settled, we'll tie it to the table, okay?"

Jake nodded, almost numb with happiness and awe. Jim was busy searching the crowded room for a table and finally spotted one. He indicated the direction with a jerk of his head and they moved carefully through the masses to the table and benches. Jake, who'd been holding tight to Blair's hand, now scrambled happily up and perched on his knees, elbows on the table. Blair slid in beside him as Jim took the opposite bench.

"So, what's good here?"

"According to Mike Evans in Burglary, the pizza is actually edible."

Sandburg gave Jim a strange look as he realized that the man had actually asked someone about this place, then shrugged his shoulders, thinking that such an action was, in reality, typical Ellison behavior. He turned his attention to Jake and queried, "Good for you, Hoss?"

"pizza, cheese pizza! gooey, cheesy, yummy!"

"Jim, I'd say the vote swings to pizza. How 'bout we get a half and half?"

"You willing to go with everything on our half?"

"Sounds good to me." Blair glanced around and noted how close they were to the counter where drinks were ordered. "Why don't you order the pizza and I'll get the drinks?"

"what do i do?" Jake asked plaintively.

Blair ruffled his hair and said, "You guard the table of course."

"i can do that," he said proudly, followed by, " i'll guard, you buy."

"Deal."

The two men headed off in opposite directions, both keeping an eye on the table and Jake.

Blair returned before Jim, a pitcher of root beer in one hand and a frosty mug of beer in the other with two empty mugs dangling from one finger. He really could have used a beer, or two or three, but he was driving and he knew damn well Jim needed one, hence the full mug.

He set everything down, then poured for himself and Jake, sliding Jake's mug to him when he was done. Jake wrapped both hands around the cold mug and drank long and deep.

Blair watched with amusement as the boy swiped his hand over his mouth when he was done and started to reach for the pitcher.

"Let me, Oh Great Wizard." He poured again but this time, Jake's eyes were focused on the big container of balls and kids. He took another swallow, his eyes never leaving the bouncing, tumbling children.

"It's going to be awhile before the pizza's done, why don't you join them?"

Jake's head moved half-way, wary eyes darting between Blair and the other children. "It's okay," Blair added encouragingly, "Go ahead. We'll be right here."

Jake blinked a couple of times, then slipped off the bench. He stood a moment, uncertain, then began to walk slowly toward the big bubble room. Half way, he stopped and looked back.

Blair just smiled. Jake continued his journey.

By the time Jim sat back down, a ticket for their meal in his hand, Jake was standing in front of the bubble, one hand resting against the clear plastic.

"He looks a little - lonely. Maybe we should go over there, Chief."

Sandburg swallowed his soda and shook his head. "Nah, he'll be fine."

Jim wasn't so sure. From everything Blair had told him, Jake's interaction with other children was limited and only a few months old. He felt a nervous flutter in his stomach as he watched the boy. Jake had never looked so alone or vulnerable. "I really think we should..."

"Jim," Blair admonished, "put a sock in it. Look."

Jim turned back and nearly choked. Jake was inside the bubble, jumping up and down, laughing and giggling, arms waving madly as he played with two other boys. They fell, tumbled, wrestled, tossed the balls at each other and dove for cover.

"Well fuck."

"Bad Jim."

The platter that had held the pizza now held a few measly crusts, the pitcher was empty and small silver bowls that had once contained Toadies Super Sundaes had been nearly licked clean. Jake had a perfect circle of fudge around his mouth and as Jim leaned over to clean him up, Jake burped. Jim's hand froze, then he quirked an eyebrow. "Surely you can do better than that?"

Jake took a deep breath - and burped again. Louder.

From the right, another burp county was heard from as Sandburg added his. Jake giggled, then looked expectantly over at Jim.

"Yes, well - "

"Jim...," Blair said, warning in his voice.

"Uh, well...," he sucked in his stomach and out rolled one, fine and handsome burp. Sandburg quickly checked to see if anyone was calling the burp police and when all seemed quiet, he added his super-duper burp.

Jake clapped excitedly, bouncing on the bench, then lifted Blair's arm high and announced, "the winnah!"

"Aw, shucks. It's nothing."

Jim stuck out his tongue.

The fire blazed before them, the apartment in darkness otherwise. Jim sat on the couch, Blair at the other end. Both men were exhausted.

Jim knew he should get up, go home, but tired limbs simply refused to move. Besides, he was comfortable. Very comfortable. Too comfortable.

They had finished the day with a short visit at the park and Blair finally met the famous Cherry who was four months older than Jake. She had silky black curls, huge brown eyes and milk chocolate skin. Her grin was fast and furious and she bossed Jake around unmercifully. He lapped it up and begged for more. Cherry's mother, Makeba, was Blair's age and Cherry was her second child. Her husband Terry was a fireman at the twenty-third.

After an hour of watching the two children play and sharing horror stories with Makeba, Jim and Blair had finally taken their leave and headed home with a very exhausted Jake.

Once inside, everyone collapsed, Jake falling asleep while curled up between the two men on the couch, the day finally catching up to him.

It wasn't until five, when the phone rang, that bodies stirred again. The caller had been Karen, full of almost good news. Apparently, Diane was doing much better, wanted to clean herself up and was even talking about coming back to Washington with Karen. She and Blair had talked for several minutes as she discussed how best to handle a future for Jake that might suddenly include his mother again.

Then Blair had put Jake on and gammy heard all about costumes, pumpkins, goats, cotton candy, decorations and Toadies.

"i got pizza in my hair and cherry was jealous, i could tell, gammy," Jake had told her. She'd laughed at his tales of the day, praised his choice of mask and told him he'd better make sure Blair took several pictures of him on Tuesday, just in case she didn't get back in time. He'd promised and added that perhaps, if she didn't get back in time, maybe he should just recreate Trick or Treating for her? And maybe, she could give him candy? Laughing hard, missing him terribly, she'd told him that was a great idea and he had himself a deal.

They'd finally said good-bye and Blair had taken the phone again, promising to take the pictures. Karen checked that everything was set with Maggie and had sounded very relieved when Blair confirmed that during the weekdays, Maggie would be watching Jake, but that his nights would be spent with Blair until Karen returned.

She'd ended the conversation oddly, telling Blair that she knew Jake would always be in good hands as long as he was with Blair. After hanging up, the much ballyhooed and promised grilled cheese sandwiches, coated with parmashan were made, along with corn chowder.

All three men had eaten at the kitchen table and then cleaned up. Jake had been given his bath, put into pajamas and once clean, warm and with his wet hair slicked down, he'd talked Jim into a game of "Go Fish."

Big mistake.

Jim was thoroughly trounced and Sandburg smirked.

Now Jake was tucked into bed, sound asleep and the two men were alone.

Jim turned to look at his partner and found him smiling as he watched the fire. "What's so funny, Chief?"

"Just thinking - not your typical Saturday, uh?"

"Oh, and it's yours, wise guy?"

"Well, yeah, lately. I've been spending quite a few weekends and evenings with Jake and his grandmother."

"So he's the reason you kept begging off from coming over?"

"You could say so."

Ignoring that for a minute or a month, Jim decided to steer the conversation into a safer harbor.

"I'm looking forward to meeting Karen. She sounds like one terrific lady."

"She is. It's been a rough life for her. She's a Porter by marriage, married Ken Porter when they were in college. They both grew up together, right here on this street. She never wanted anyone else."

Jim didn't miss the note of almost - envy, that had crept into his friend's voice. "Must have been hard when he --- died."

Sandburg nodded. "Yeah, very. And especially hard on Diane. She and her father were very close. Diane really went into a rebellious stage that got out of control quickly. The next thing Karen knew, Diane was gone and you know the rest."

Jim gazed back at the fireplace, then let his eyes roam over the apartment. "I really like this place, Sandburg. It's - comfortable."

Blair smiled smugly. "Clean too, eh, Jim?"

"Bastard."

"Did you note that I'm using white and green tupperware?"

"You really are a dickwad."

"And no pipes. Jake can flush anytime he wants. When he remembers to flush, that is."

"I distinctly recall that you had that problem too."

"Fuck you, Ellison and this insult from a guy whose aim left a great deal to be desired? And what's with that anyway? You are a sentinel, I'd have thought you could pee circles around the rest of us poor mortals. Hell, Jake has better aim."

"At least I remembered to use the spray, Einstein."

"Jim, you needed to use the spray."

They stared each other down, then burst into laughter.

When the laughing dwindled to chuckles, Jim said, "I should be going." He rose reluctantly and took his jacket from the back of the couch.

Slipping it on, he moved toward the front door, Sandburg following. As he reached for the knob, he turned and looked around, then down at his partner. "Seems strange, doesn't it?"

"A little. But no more so than last night, leaving the - loft. And at least you finally saw the new digs."

"Yeah, yeah I did." He made no move to open the screen as he searched Blair's face. "Still...," he smiled in memory as he continued, "I remember the first time Caro came over after the divorce. It was our attempt to discover if we could remain friends, still work together. We had spaghetti, talked, the usual, you know?"

"Then she left. It wasn't strange at all. Why is this so different?"

Blair shrugged, then suggested, "You and Carolyn were together less than two years and from what you've said, she was never comfortable in the loft. Maybe that's why."

Jim pushed open the screen while still facing Sandburg and asked, "But you were?"

Blair's body unconsciously swayed toward Jim. "Yes, I was comfortable there."

"Even with all the rules?"

"Even with all the rules."

They were standing close, leaning --- and Jim stepped out. Letting the screen door close behind him, he smiled mischieviously. "What are we doing tomorrow?"

"Decorating, of course. And need to get Jake a staff. I have an old wooden pointer that Dr. Stoddard gave me many moons ago, that will work as a wand, but the staff..."

"How about that walking stick Brother Marcus gave you? You still have it, don't you?"

Blair snapped his fingers, "Hell, how could I have forgotten? Man, that would be perfect. It's around here somewhere."

"Problem solved. So what's for breakfast? I've heard rumors of Mickey Mouse pancakes."

Blair made a face and shook his head. "Trust me, Ellison, you don't want to go there. They were - u-g-lee."

Chuckling, Jim said, "Jake seemed to love them."

"Well, he's very tolerant of my efforts. Brave too."

"Suppose I bring the bacon and potatoes?"

"Can't pass that up."

Jim gave a small salute and turned away. Blair watched him walk across the courtyard and through the archway. Shaking his head, he shut the door.

So - he was wrong. What he'd felt had obviously simply been a lonely thing for Jim.

Or maybe an I hate change thing. Maybe even a Jake thing. Whatever it was, it wasn't a Sandburg thing.

He turned off the gas to the fire, letting the retreating glow serve as his only source of illumination, then stood a few moments, drinking in the sight of fading embers because going to bed was the last thing he wanted to do.

Suddenly he needed to be outside. He walked to his door and stepped out, breathing in the fresh air and letting the soothing calm of the garden wash over him.

It was October cold but he barely registered that fact as his thoughts turned inward. He strolled across the garden, accepting the fact that Jim would never --- then he spotted Jim's truck, parked by the curb. He craned his neck and sure enough, Jim was there, behind the wheel, but not moving.

Shit. He almost ran through the archway and as he opened the gate, the silhouette that was Jim, shifted. Blair skidded to a stop, took a deep, relieved breath and adopting a more nonchalant posture, sauntered over to the driver's side of the truck. Jim rolled down the window.

"For a minute there, I thought you were taking a quick trip to sentinel lalaland, Jim."

"No, no, just thinking. Regrouping, energizing myself for the drive home."

"Um, naturally. Long trip. What, eight minutes, tops?"

"In heavy traffic, yeah."

The vibes were there. Blair hadn't been wrong, wasn't wrong and now he knew it. With deliberate ease, he leaned in and rested his arms on the door. "You haven't had any problems with your senses, have you? That you somehow failed to mention?" He moved closer.

"I'd tell you, Sandburg." Jim's voice was soft, his words a promise.

"Good, good." Then he did it. He snaked his right arm around Jim's neck, cupped the man's head with his hand and pulled him forward until their lips were centimeters apart. Waiting for the signal that would tell him this was unwanted, he almost held his breath. The signal never came. Blair took the kiss.

It was an easy kiss, but by no means casual. Blair had too much to say.

His fingers tightened, rubbing over the short hair as he caressed first Jim's lips, then his tongue and finally the man's mouth. The angle was perfect, if slightly uncomfortable for Sandburg, but he really didn't care because he was kissing - Jim. And Jim was kissing him back.

It was Blair who pulled away first, but not before letting his tongue run over Jim's bottom lip in a proprietory manner. "Breakfast is early. Jake you know."

Jim licked over the lip that Blair had just marked as his and chuckled. "Right. Early." He started the engine, feeling euphoric, hit the lights and watched amazed, as Blair stepped away, hands in his pockets. Jim pulled out and headed down the street, grinning like a goon and whistling.

He turned on the radio as he watched his rear-view mirror, watched Blair step onto the curb and walk back into the building, and he started singing under his breath as someone sang about this kiss, this kiss...

Supremely satisfied with himself, Blair walked into his home, locked up, but before going into his own room, he went into Jake's.

The boy slept not unlike Blair himself. Sprawled out, blankets jumbled at the foot of the bed, but unlike Sandburg, Jake slept warm, his body heat providing warmth even on a cold fall night.

Blair rested his hand on Jake's forehead, then brushed a few short, slightly damp curls from the boy's face. Jake was going to have the devil's own time trying to tame that mass as he got older --- and Blair should know.

Bestowing the now usual nightime kiss on the warm cheek, Blair whispered, "i love you, jake."

(0(0(0)

Jim got all the way upstairs and into bed before it hit him. Under normal circumstances, he'd have noticed immediately - the absence of Sandburg. But not tonight.

Tonight, Blair clung too heavily to every part of Jim Ellison. He could still feel the man's hand on the back of his head, stroking his short, bristly hair, and the slightly chapped lips on his, and god, that silky tongue...

No, Blair was here, his scent clinging to him, his body heat still resonating against Jim's skin...

He'd tried so hard, in the last weeks, to get Blair to come over under the guise of watching a game, or working on the new stereo cabinet or any other excuse he could think up - so that he'd have that scent, so that the loft wouldn't seem so empty. Because Blair would have sat on the couch, hugged one of the pillows, used the bathroom, wiped his hands on a towel, used utensils in the kitchen, plates, silverware, cups, touched things, leaving his scent behind...

...for Jim.

So that the minutes and hours and days alone could be survived.

But now - damn, that man could kiss.

He dropped onto the bed, only now becoming aware that he'd stripped, that his clothes lay in a heap on the floor and he grinned. He had absolutely no intention of picking them up. None. He ran his finger over his lips and he could feel the trace of moisture that belonged to Blair, the heat, the taste and at that moment, Jim Ellison loved being a sentinel.

It was only as he was slipping under the sheet that he realized he'd be in bed with Sandburg right now, if Sandburg had still been rooming with him...

...and yet, this was all right. They both knew where they were headed. They were both on the same page - finally.

For the first night in many nights - Jim Ellison slept soundly.

Blair lay on his back, hands behind his head.

He'd done it.

And man, oh, man - had he.

He smiled in the dark.

Jim stepped into the shower and damn if his mouth wasn't sore - from all the stupid grinning he'd been doing. He hadn't stopped. And now, well, damn, it felt just like his early memories of Christmas mornings - before things went bad.

The excitement, the waking up early, sneaking downstairs, stealing a peek at the tree and all the gifts that hadn't been there when he and Steven had gone to bed. Then the race back upstairs, bursting into their parents' bedroom, getting them up at the ungodly hour...

He rinsed, shut the water off, stepped out, dried himself, then stood in front of the mirror, wet towel on the floor at his feet. He wiped the mirror with his hand and wasn't surprised to see that he was still grinning like a baboon. He brushed his teeth, slathered shaving cream over his face, took his practiced swipes, then wiped off the excess and applied his aftershave. He gazed at his reflection with a critical eye and decided that Blair knew exactly what he was getting. He grinned even wider.

Green polo shirt, old jeans, sneakers, no socks. He fastened his watch and headed downstairs.

Jim grabbed a stored paper bag and immediately filled it with the package of bacon and several potatoes. He checked his watch.

Right on time. Giving a final glance around, he picked up his jacket and headed out.

"when?"

"Any minute, Jake. Keep your shirt on."

Jake ran to the front door and opened it again. He was still in pjs and as he threw open the door, he shivered at the blast of cold air. But no Jim. Still. He peered out, double checking, but still - no Jim. He started to open the screen door, but a large, warm hand on his stopped his action.

"I don't think so, Hoss. He'll be here when he gets here. And it's early. Very early. Besides, we have a staff and a wand to find."

The blond head jerked up, eyes suddenly wide.

"staff? wand?"

"Well, sure. They're somewhere in this place. Staffs and wands automatically know where to go, you know. We've just got to find them."

"where, where, where?"

Smiling fondly down at the upturned face, Blair took on a very serious expression. "Well, you are the wizard. Go hunting, my man."

Uncertain, Jake glanced around him. "where do I start?"

"Um, try closets, drawers, wherever you think they may be in hiding from Blairgorgon."

"how will i know - i mean ---"

"Oh Great Wizard, I suspect that you'll know when you find them."

He smiled as Jake's face lit up and the boy took off, his stockinged feet padding across the floor. Or should that be thundering across the floor?

Blair had found everything late last night and as he'd held the staff he'd used to take out a baddie while on vacation at St. Sebastian's, he'd gotten the clever idea of hiding both the staff and the pointer for Jake, then sending him on a little scavenger hunt. Seeing Jake's smile just then had made it worth the extra effort and the few missing minutes of sleep last night.

He just hoped that both items matched Jake's imagination, his existing vision of the staff and wand. He knew the boy had both already pictured in his mind and if these didn't do it...

He heard a cupboard slam shut, then a closet being slid open. He cocked his head and listened...

...boxes being shoved aside, shoes being tossed...man, he was going to have a mess later...

...then the war cry.

"i found it, i found it!!"

The sound of small feet running....and Jake skidding to a stop, his wand in both hands, holding it carefully, as if it were made of glass.

He looked up at Blair, his expression a mixture of awe and supreme happiness. "my wand, blair, my wand."

Sandburg nodded solemnly. "I do believe so. Certainly looks like the wand of a Great Wizard, doesn't it?"

Curls bouncing, Jake nodded vigorously. Then small fingers traced over the wood and he gave it an experimental shake and twirled it a bit...

"mine," he breathed out.

"Um, no staff though?"

Blue eyes grew huge, then the small body zipped around and disappeared down the hall leaving a chuckling Sandburg behind. He found himself listening again, knowing that Jake would check all over...

...and the war cry erupted yet again.

"blair!!!"

He walked hurriedly down the hall to his room and wasn't the least surprised to find Jake on his hands and knees by his bed. On the floor in front of him - the walking stick from St. Sebastians. Jake looked up at him and said reverantly, "it was under the bed, blair. under the bed."

"Amazing."

Jake stood and held it with both hands and Blair felt the first stirrings of disappointment. It was too big. Too damn big. It almost dwarfed the kid. Mind working furiously, he wondered if Jim could use some of the equipment at the loft...

"Powerful staff, Jake. Think it needs a little - fine tuning?"

Frowning, Jake repeated, "fine tuning?"

"Well, staffs are like - I mean, they have to fit their owner, you know? So most wizards have to fine tune them, so to speak."

Jake was holding on to the large, gnarled stick and now his glance flicked from it to Blair and back again as he asked, "how?"

Blair scratched his chin, mind wrapping itself around this unexpected problem. Then, the lightbulb came on.

"Well, most great wizards have apprentices, you know? And these apprentices work on the staff, making it longer or - shorter, or fatter, or whatever their great wizard requires."

Jake, instead of being happy at this news, looked suddenly very sad. "but i don't have an a a-p - a-p - "

"A-p-ren-tice."

"a-p - ren-tiz."

"Well sure you do. Jim."

The clouds scurried away as the sun came out on the suddenly smiling face. "jim."

"Yep, Jim."

Now Jake regarded the staff with a discerning eye, gazing at it, taking it in from top to bottom.

Then he pronounced, "i shall have my a...ap-rentis make it - shorter."

"Excellent decision, Great Wizard Jake."

"my room?"

Understanding what he was being asked, Blair nodded, then queried, "May I, Oh Great Wizard, be allowed to carry your staff for you?"

Jake held it out with both hands, saying, "you may."

Blair was helping Jake get dressed when the phone rang. Before he could move to answer, Jake beat him to it. He ran down the hall in only his underwear, threw himself on Blair's bed and picked up the phone.

"jim, jim, you coming?"

<Honey?>

"gammy!" His voice rose excitedly as Blair skidded to a stop by the bed.

<How are you, gumdrop?>

"i'm fine, gammy and guess what i found this morning?"

<What?>

"my wand and my super, duper staff!"

<Why, that's a miracle, Jake!>

"blair says they know where to go, where great wizards live, gammy! and he's right, they were right here!"

There was a slight pause, then Karen's voice floated back to her grandson.

<Honey, Blair's right, absolutely right. Is he there, sweetie?>

"right here, gammy. when are you coming home? will you be here for halloweeny?"

<I'll try, sweetheart, I'll try, but if not, like you said, we'll take a do over, okay?>

"promuse?"

<Promise. Can you put Blair on now?>

Without thinking, Jake, not practised in phone etiquette, nodded his head and handed the phone over his shoulder to Blair, who stood grinning down at him. Blair took the offered receiver and chuckling, said, "Say good-bye Gammy."

"say good-bye gammy!"

As he put the receiver up to his ear, he could hear Karen's laughter. Jake scrambled from the bed and Blair could hear the bare feet thundering down the hall and out into the livingroom.

"Hang on a minute, Karen." Putting his hand over the receiver he yelled, "Hoss, don't you dare open that front door! You hear me? Jim isn't going to come any faster just because you keep opening the door. Now get yourself back in here."

He was still chuckling when he finally turned his attention to Karen.

"Sorry, Karen. He's kind of anxious. Jim is due any minute and we're going to do that decorating today."

<You found all the other supplies I told you about?>

"Yep, and what we couldn't find, we bought. This is going to be some scary graveyard. And yes, we'll take loads of pictures. Don't worry. Any idea of when you'll be heading back?"

<Not really, Blair>

Hearing something new in her voice, Blair sat on the edge of the bed, his fingers tightening on the phone. "What's wrong, Karen?"

<Diane is getting - nervous. She's afraid to come home, afraid of, as she says, dealing with Jake. She's withdrawing right before my eyes>

"God, I'm sorry, Karen. Anything I can do? If you need help or company?"

<No, but thank you, Blair. Knowing that Jake is with you is all the help I need right now. You do understand that, don't you?>

"Yeah, I do. And he's fine, Karen, other than missing you."

<God, how I miss him. That's the real problem I'm having with all this, Blair. That Diane can't see what she's missing. What she's giving up if she doesn't make this move, take this chance, you know?>

"I know," he whispered. He didn't understand Jake's mother either, but the dread he'd been feeling --- He understood that only too well.

He was afraid. Of losing Jake. He shoved the feeling, a feeling he had no right to, down as deep as he could and smiled. "She'll come around, Karen, I'm sure of it. She'll make the decision."

<I pray you're right, Blair. I'll call tomorrow, okay?>

"We'll be here. I'll be dropping him off with Maggie at about seven and picking him up around six."

<Maybe I'll call him at Maggie's then, surprise him>

"Good idea."

<Give him a kiss for me and we'll talk tomorrow>

"Will do."

They said their good-byes and worried about the sudden silence in the apartment, he wandered first into Jake's room and finding it empty, walked into the living room. What greeted him, froze him to the spot.

Jake sat in the middle of the floor, crosslegged, face in hands, still in only his underpants, staring at the front door.

Shaking his head in amazement, Blair slowly dropped down on his hands and knees. With great stealth, he began to crawl toward the unsuspecting wizard. As he drew closer, he let out a low, rumbling growl. Jake's head whipped around and spotting the Blairgorgon coming for him, he immediately got on his hands and knees and scrunching up his face, yowled back.

Blair circled cautiously, making like he was sniffing the air and Jake imitated his actions.

The two circled each other, heads dipping, then stretching upward to growl at the ceiling...

...then Jake pounced. He latched onto Blair's neck and brought the man down and moments later they were rolling and laughing as fingers tickled and Jake's clear, childish giggles rose.

Blair buried his face in Jake's neck and blew against the skin, which set Jake off into more giggles.

In one fluid motion, Blair had Jake in his arms and was rising. "AH, HA, got you now, Great Wizard."

"not fair, no wand, no wand!" Jake protested, grinning and wiggling.

"No clothes either, young wizard. Let's get you dressed."

He carried him into the bedroom and dropped him with great aplomb onto the bed. Jake bounced and giggled again as Blair picked up the jeans. Shaking them in front of the boy, he entreated, "Come on, wizards must dress for decorating and company!"

The next five minutes were spent getting on jeans, a red and white striped shirt, socks and the only shoes Jake would wear - his old, ratty white tennis shoes.

Taking Jake's hand, Blair led him into the bathroom and after putting the lid down on the toilet, he set Jake on top, grabbed their toothbrushes, wet them, then squirted the gooey stuff over the bristles. He handed the small one to Jake, who happily took it, and in perfect synchronization, they brushed, Jake emulating every move of Blair's.

As the white foam bubbled over and streamed down Jake's chin, Blair filled a small, yellow dinosaur cup with water and held it out. "Swish and spit, wizard."

Jake swished, then spit, then swished and spit again. Blair did the same with his cup, conscious of the fact that sticking his head under the faucet and slurping the water before spitting, might not set a very good example.

After wiping mouths, Jake looked up imploringly and Blair relented. He lifted Jake onto the counter, perching him on the edge of the sink. As Jake watched, Blair started to shave.

Oddly enough, Jim had always used an electric razor, but early in their studies of Jim's senses, Blair had discovered that one of the sentinel's sensory problems had been the vibration so they'd changed him over to manual labor. It seemed somehow natural for Blair to do the same. In all truth, he now got a much closer shave, which with his beard, was important. Not to mention, Jake loved to watch.

As he lifted his head to stroke up his jaw, he noticed that Jake's head lifted automatically, eyes taking in every move. Before wiping off the excess lather, he turned slightly and quickly removed the blade. He picked up the can of shaving cream and held it out to Jake. With awe, the boy held out his hands, cupping them together. Blair squirted a small mound into the eager palms and watched with delight as Jake smeared it over the lower half of his face. Then Blair handed him the bladeless razor.

Slowly and meticulously, Jake shaved his face, his actions almost a perfect mirror of Blair's earlier moves.

When he was done, Blair gave him the cloth and Jake wiped up the residue. A little cold water, another wipe, then Blair poured a bit of aftershave into Jake's waiting hand, then his own. Together they patted it on. Blair leaned over and sniffed Jake's face.

"Ummm, you smell good, Hoss."

"gonna make cherry swoon."

"The ladies will fall, Hoss, totally."

Blair cleaned up a bit, then before picking Jake up and depositing him on the floor, he warned, "Remember, young man, you don't touch the razor without me, right?"

"promuse. only with you."

"Okay, that's my man." He lifted, but before he could put him down, Jake wrapped his legs around his waist and arms around Blair's neck. He leaned in and sniffed loudly. "you smell scrumchus too."

"Bodies swooning all over the place?"

"yep." Jake buried his head under Blair's neck in a sudden show of emotion. His small arms tightened and he breathed out, "luv you."

Rubbing Jake's back and nuzzling the soft curls, Blair answered back, "Love you too, welp."

Jim walked through the courtyard and once again, a warm, cozy peace stole over him.

Other than Blair's room, Jim had never experienced anyplace that could soothe him like this building.

As he approached Blair's door, it flew open and Jake squealed, "he's here, blair, he's here!"

The screen door was pushed open and moments later, Jim's arms were full.

"Hey, I get the feeling you're glad to see me?"

"wait til you see what i found this morning!"

Jim stepped inside to find Blair standing in the middle of the living room, eyes roving up and down Jim's body as if he were...

"Morning, Beefstick."

...a beefstick.

"Morning Lam..."

"Say it, and you're dead meat, Ellison."

"Morning, Chief." He grinned.

The wiggling in his arms alerted him to the fact that Jake wanted down. He lowered him with one arm, his eyes never leaving Blair's. Jake ran into his room, grabbed up his wand and hurried back to Jim, proudly presenting him with Blair's old pointer.

"found it. my magik wand."

"Can I touch it, Jake?"

"you're my a-prentis, course you can."

Jim gave Blair a quizzical look only to receive a mischievious grin in response.

"O-kay, I'm your apprentice." Juggling the bag of groceries, he took the offered wand and appeared to test it, held it in the soft curve between his thumb and finger as if ensuring the weight was proper...

"I'd say you have the best wand in the business, Jake." He handed it back, Jake taking it proudly.

"i knew it was pu-u-rfect."

"Maybe now would be a good time to show your apprentice your staff?"

Jake nodded and took off. As he disappeared down the hall, Blair moved quickly, his body about to thud into Jim's, but Ellison moved faster. As Blair's arms went out to wrap around Jim's waist, Jim thrust the bag of groceries into them. Smirking, he said, "Apprentice?"

"Dick."

Jim clucked and shook his head. "Even after all this time, you can't get your table legs straight.

I'm Jim."

"Dickwad."

"No, Jim Ellison, you schmuck."

Blair slapped his forehead and said, "Got it. How could I forget? Detective Jim Ellison. All you buff dudes look alike, you know? So hard to keep you all straight."

"Yeah, I can see where keeping us straight would be hard."

"Ooh, king of the double entendres today, eh?"

"Go peel potatoes, Sandburg."

(0(0(0)

"I don't do no potatoes, man. You bring home the bacon, you fry it up, plus the potatoes, you are woman, hear Jim Ellison roar."

"You're going to pay for that big time, Sandburg."

Blair pointed to the kitchen. Jim went. He'd have flipped him the bird, but there was a four year old in the house. Who stopped him just shy of the kitchen door.

"here it is," Jake said proudly.

Jim set the bag down on the card table and inspected the held out staff. He took it from eager fingers and rolled it around, then lined it up against the boy. Jake gazed up at him, awaiting the pronouncement.

"Nigh onto perfect."

A cough from behind Jake alerted Jim to having committed a faux pas. He looked a bit more critical. "What would the Great Wizard Jake have his apprentice do to make the staff perfectly perfect?"

"shorter, must be shorter."

"Ah, yes. Shorter. You realize I will have to do this at the apprentice's loft?"

Jake nodded as the words tumbled out. "know that, today? we could do today?"

"Gee, Jake, I think Jim could arrange that, after breakfast and decorating. Right, Jimbo?"

"Sure thing, Blairbabe."

Blue eyes narrowed and with Jake's back to him, Sandburg gave Jim the finger.

What a four year old couldn't see, couldn't hurt him.

The potatoes were frying, with a small batch already cooked and set aside for Jake, so that Jim could add the onions and peppers for hiself and Blair. The bacon was draining and the eggs were being scrambled by Sandburg, who had Jake on the counter, a wooden spoon in his hand and helping to stir.

Jim finished setting the table and pouring the juice, then took down a package of muffins that Blair had in a cupboard and dropped them onto a plate. He went back to the range, arm brushing against Sandburg as he dished up the potatoes, arranged the bacon around them and set the plate on the table. Blair scooped up the eggs as Jim lifted Chef Jake and deposited him on the floor.

"Breakfast seems to be ready, Oh Great Wizard. Booster book in place, so I say, let's chow down!"

Jake scrambled to his spot and slid in, then settled himself on the phone book. He watched as Jim slid in on one side, Blair the other.

Plates were passed around, with Blair dishing up Jake's eggs while Jim dished up the small pile of onion-free, pepper-free potatoes and two strips of bacon. Muffins were tossed and caught easily. Jake scooped his first mouthful of potatoes into his mouth and made a loud yummmm sound, then crunched down on a piece of bacon.

"good brekkie, almost as good as mickey mouse pancakes."

"Jim, you've just received a very high compliment."

"I'm a gem."

Blair glanced down at Jake and winked, then licked his thumb, watched as Jake did the same, then both made the action of testing their thumbs on the hot surface of their butts.

"hot stuff."

Jim couldn't help it. His laughter rolled out of him and Jake looked supremely pleased with himself.

"Okay, the webbing?"

Blair gazed around him, then back at Jim, who had a yard of the stuff hanging from his fingers. Blair pointed to the archways and the gate. Jim nodded and started with the back archway.

While he tacked up the fake spider webs, Blair and Jake planted several fake gravestones around the courtyard. They'd been working for the last two hours, and as they'd started to haul out the boxes of decorations, other neighbors sort of floated in and joined them.

Maxine was in the corner, hanging ghosts on trees, while upstairs the young man Jim had met the day before, John Holder, was draping long strings of black ivy from the rail.

Mr. Pritchard, who had the apartment across from Blair, was setting out several pumpkins he'd purchased to help decorate.

In the background, Blair had a Halloween CD playing and at the moment, they were being serenaded by the theme from Ghostbusters.

Jake's face was flushed with pleasure, his curls dark now and plastered to his head. He'd been running hither and yon, checking everyone's work, eyes wide with wonder. And Blair's neighbors, whose own children were for the most part grown and moved on, watched with amusement and affection as the only small child in the buidling enjoyed what was obviously ... painfully so ... his first real Halloween.

Everyone knew the history behind Jake's coming to live with Karen and all were committed to giving him the best Halloween ever.

Jim had moved to the front archway and as he climbed the ladder, Blair watched the jeaned butt and sighed. He was - horny. Very. For Jim.

He tried to chastise himself, to lecture his hormones with words about children and decorating, but it was no use. He watched Jim's butt flex as the man reached up to hammer in a nail and he immediately delivered a stern lecture to a particularly important part of his anatomy, but he was a goner.

His table leg days were over. Not that he'd ever been a real chaser, but hell, a guy working with cops, well, he'd better have some kind of rep, especially if he had long hair and wore jewelry.

But if he had had table leg days, they'd be over now. In fact, he really had this overwhelming urge to be the table leg that Jim humped. Which was new to him. He usually... no, make that always... wanted to pitch. He'd never caught, not once in all these years...but hey, there was always a first time.

Which was exactly what he was looking forward to --- their first time.

And their second time, and sixtieth time...

"blair?"

"Um..."

"pumpkin?"

He blinked and brought his attention back to Jake. "You mean, if I read Jakespeak correctly, when are we going to carve your pumpkin?"

"yep. you speak good jakespeak."

"Love spans all languages."

The grin he received was intergalactic in size.

Everyone stood in the center of the courtyard and surveyed their handiwork. Jake was on Blair's shoulders again, his eyes taking it all in, mouth hanging open. Blair looked up and said, "Wait until you see it Halloween night. With the lights and candles..."

Jake clapped and seconds later, everyone else joined in.

On the way to the loft, they stopped at a drive-thru and picked up hamburgers, then onto 852 Prospect. Jim found himself once again folded into the backseat of the Volvo for the simple reason that there wasn't room in the truck for Jim, Blair and Jake in a car seat.

Once at the loft, they all settled in the garage as Jim worked on making a certain staff shorter while Blair and Jake watched, ate and threw insults at Ellison. He fielded every one of them and tossed back a few of his own with Jake laughing uproariously even though he didn't get half of what Jim or Blair were saying.

Eventually the staff was done and Jim held it out to Jake, who'd been sitting on the bottom rung of a step ladder. The boy slipped down and took the staff, holding it easily now, the staff the perfect length.

"Well, Jake? Looks like your apprentice did a fine job, eh?"

With a touch of awe, Jake said, "it's purfect."

Blair shot Jim a look full of gratitude and swimming in the dark depths, love. Jim smiled back and knelt down in front of Jake.

"You do know that this staff belonged to a great Shaman, don't you?"

"a great charmin?"

Jim frowned as Blair laughed. "Yeah, Jake, a charmin. You got it, welp. And Jim, let's shelve that story, okay?"

Jake glanced from one to the other, sensing something, but unsure of what. Blair gathered up the used wrappers and stuffed everything into the bag the hamburgers had come in and tossed the whole thing into the trash. He swung Jake into his arms, saying, "We still have to find something to use to tie your great robes together, Jake, not to mention you could use a nap."

"wizards don't nap."

"Great wizards do. How do you think they become so great?"

"poop."

Jake was asleep in Blair's old room and Jim was stretched out on the couch, a bottle of beer in his hand. Blair took the opposite corner.

"What was that all about, Sandburg?"

"What?"

"The shaman thing. Why did you stop me?"

Blair sat back, crossed his leg and draped an arm over the back of the couch. "Because a shaman didn't own that walking stick?"

"A shaman owns that stick, Sandburg."

"No, I own it. And I'm just Detective Jim Ellison's partner."

"Is that how you see," he waved one hand between them, "us? How you see this whole sentinel thing? You're just my partner?"

"That's all there is, Jim. I was an anthropologist studying people with enhanced senses, now I'm a detective and your partner. That's it. Let's not get too far afield, Ellison."

"Blair, you guided me, taught me, I'd be - insane otherwise."

"You give me too much credit, Jim. You'd have figured it out sooner or later. I just helped make it sooner, that's all."

"Jesus, you're something else. Where did all this crap come from? And that's all? You don't think last night was something, or was that just Sandburg experimenting?"

Blair reached over and took the bottle from Jim's fingers, brought it to his mouth, took a healthy swig, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and put the bottle back into Jim's, then got up, stretched and said, "Yeah, Jim, that's what it was, Sandburg experimenting. Good, ole Sandburg."

With every intention of getting Jake up and heading home, he walked to his old room. The anger he was trying to surpress, was evident in his stride.

"Hold it right there, Chief." Jim had followed him quietly, stealthily. Now he had Blair's arm and he pulled him away from the French doors.

"I want to know what's going on?"

"Nothing, Jim. Nothing. I'm not a shaman, you understand? I'm nothing. Got it now?"

Jim felt as though he'd just been struck. He almost let go, almost reeled back, but the emotion in those sapphire blue eyes stopped him cold. He reached out, suddenly desperate to touch this man, to caress, to soothe, to give just a modicum of the relief and comfort Blair had provided him with over the years.

Promising himself that they would discuss this later, he let his knuckle trail down Blair's cheek, felt the stubble, the muscle clenching at his move, felt the pores open, the blood under his skin...

"Have I told you how much I love being a sentinel?" he whispered.

Blair was drawn in, his body leaning...

"no, never. and you don't."

"Yes, yes I do, Chief. And I love you."

His arm snaked around Sandburg's waist and he pulled the suddenly pliant body into his and this time, he did the kissing, this time it was his tongue caressing, his teeth nipping at the edges of that sexy mouth, running along the bottom lip, tasting, savoring.

But unlike the night before, he was in perfect position to take more. As they kissed deeply and well, his right hand moved under the black sweater that Sandburg wore, moved up the quivering stomach, felt the inhale as his hand moved up through coarse, yet silky chest hair to rest on one nipple...

Blair moaned into Jim's mouth as fingers twisted gently, then with more urgency and the fire burned his chest...

"blair?"

Coughing, spluttering, bodies jumping apart...

"Hey, Jake," Blair managed to gasp out. "You're up."

Jim started choking.

Jake rubbed his eyes sleepily, one hand tugging down on his navy blue briefs. He looked up at Blair, who was trying to hold back the laughter, then at Jim who was attempting to regain some semblance of order as he tried to swallow.

"can i get up now?"

"You sure can, Hoss." Blair swung the boy into his arms and giving Jim a suggestive leer, he walked into Jake's room and set him on the bed.

"Hey, where did you toss your jeans, partner?"

Still groggy, Jake looked around, pursing his lips. "umm, over there," he suggested. Blair spotted them on the floor by the closet, picked them up and tossed them overhand. The jeans landed on Jake's head. Giggling, Jake's muffled reply came from under the jeans, "sloppy throw."

"Yeah? Well, catch this, Hoss." He tossed the red and white shirt but this time, Jake was ready. He whipped the jeans from his head and caught the shirt as Blair tweaked a toe and said, "At least you kept your socks on, kiddo."

Jake wiggled his socked feet as his head disappeared under the shirt.

Jim was lounging against the door frame watching with a gentle, bemused expression on his face and as he noted Jake struggling, asked, "Need some help there?"

The headless wonder nodded, which was difficult, what with being headless and all and Jim laughed as he started to tug one small hand through the sleeve.

With all three of them working together, it should have been an easy task to get one four year old dressed, but they hadn't counted on having Jim along for the ride. He quickly decided it would be fun to have the other sleeve attack without mercy, he sought out every ticklish spot, sneaked a hold on the leg of Jake's jeans and capped off his devilish play by trying to put the left tennis shoe on the right foot.

"no, wrong foot."

"No, right foot." The foot in question wiggled.

"no, wrong foot."

Jim gave Jake his best perplexed look and scratched his head, while Blair, who'd long since given up helping, wondered where Jim's camera might be because he was certain he had the makings of great blackmail photos.

Jake wiggled his foot again and pointed. "this foot, shoe on this foot."

"I'm sure not, Master Jake. This shoe," Jim turned said tennis shoe around in his hand, "is definitely a that shoe."

"no, no, silly," Jake said. Then he indicated his right foot and added patiently, "right foot, right shoe, see?"

"But sir, this is the wrong shoe, therefore it belongs on the other foot."

With assurance born of the righteous, Jake shook his curly head and said, "I have no wrong feet. My feet are the bestest and the most rightest and that shoe goes on this bestest foot." He looked up at Blair. "huh, blair?"

Sandburg took the offending shoe from Jim's hand and using his hip, nudged the larger man aside. "Lowly apprentice, you have much to learn about dressing Great Wizards like our Jake. Now stand back and watch and learn, lowly apprentice."

Sandburg made a great show of pushing up the sleeves of his sweater as Jake happily stuck out his foot and waved it in the air. Blair grabbed hold and rested the foot on his thigh, then slipped on the tennis shoe and with practised hands, tied the laces. Standing back to glory in his work, he said, "See lowly apprentice? That's how it's done."

Jim whistled and said in an awestruck tone, "A miracle, sir, surely?"

Blair snorted, which sent Jake falling back in laughter. "Miracle, Jim? Oh, yeah, for you, definitely." He quickly slipped the other shoe on and in spite of the activity of the owner of the foot, who was trying to kick in time to his giggles. Blair held up the errant foot and said cockily, "Care to tie the shoe, Ellison?"

"Runt." Jim shoved Sandburg aside and quickly tied the shoe. "There, see? This man knows how to tie a shoe."

"am i dressed now? can we go play?"

"Yes, sir, you're dressed and we play. To the park?"

Jake pointed out the door and cried out, "to the park!"

Jim sat on the bench, back resting against the table, long legs stretched out in front of him.

Blair was walking back to him, having just fixed a swing for Cherry, who'd been left in their charge so that her mother could pop over to the store.

Jim observed the younger man's approach through lids at half-mast, appreciating the way the black sweater stretched across the muscular chest and clung to the man's hips. He let his hidden gaze travel to the loose hair catching the afternoon sun, then down to the arms swinging easily and finally, with a grin, to the several mothers in the park who were enjoying the view as much as he.

As Sandburg swung a leg over the bench and straddled the wooden seat, Ellison joked, "You seem to be the hit of the park, Chief."

"Hey, you know how women love men with kids, Jim. Too bad I only have eyes for you, otherwise I'd be in female heaven right now. And by the way, Beefstick, you're getting more than your fair share of appreciative glances."

Jim turned his head and arched one eyebrow. "Oh yeah, Lambchop?"

"Yeah Beefstick. And if you ever desire more than just a kiss and a grope? You'd better drop the Lambchop, pronto." He leaned in close, bracing his upper body with hands planted on the bench and allowing his breath to tease Jim's cheek, he breathed out, "Understand, Beefstick?"

Jim faced him, their noses almost touching as he queried, "How come you're allowed to call me Beefstick, but I can't call you Lambchop?"

"Gee, think about it, dipshit."

"Sandburg, go back to Beefstick."

"I plan to - tonight. I'm looking forward to your beefstick, Beefstick."

Sandburg's hair was almost a living thing as it swung with his words, just brushing the top of his collar and that one stubborn piece --- Jim couldn't help it --- he reached up and tenderly eased that one tendril back behind Blair's ear.

As he did, he allowed his knuckle to once again caress quickly before putting his hand down.

"Well," Blair said, his voice catching slightly, "that informed the fair mothers of Cascade just who belongs to whom, didn't it?"

"Ya think, Darwin?"

They made a quick stop at the store on the way home to purchase the necessary fixings for chilidogs, then once home, decided that they would take advantage of the unseasonably warm October day by grilling hot dogs.

While Blair got the building's barbecue ready, Jim decided that it was a perfect time to carve the pumpkin. He spread one of the courtyard tables with newspapers, then with Jake dogging his heels, he carried the ceremonial pumpkin to the table.

Jim set the squash and the carving tools on the newspapers as Jake scrambled into a chair next to him, and while Sandburg cooked hot dogs, baked beans, chili and foil wrapped corn on the cob, Jake directed his apprentice in the fine art of pumpkin carving, his directions simple: make the pumpkin the scariest and bestest in the world.

"scarier."

"Scarier than this?" Jim asked incredulously.

"scarier." Jake was on his knees in the chair, elbows on the table, head resting between his hands.

"much scarier, much, much, much scarier. this scary," and he rolled up his eyes, curled back his lip, stuck out his tongue and stretched his face out with his fingers.

"O-kay, that is one scary face, dude. But we'll need something for the tongue, unless you'd like us to use yours?"

The tongue high-tailed itself back into Jake's mouth as two small hands clamped over grinning lips, Jake's head shaking wildly.

Blair stepped up behind Jake, grabbed a large chunk of pumpkin flesh and with one of the carving knives, quickly and efficiently carved out a tongue. He took Jake's right hand away from the boy's mouth and placed the tongue onto the palm. Jake then took Jim's hand and repeated the gesture.

As Blair walked back to the grill, he commented, "You might want to cover that with hair spray or it'll disintegrate before Tuesday, Apprentice Jim."

Apprentice Jim looked down at the tongue, then at Jake, then at the retreating Sandburg, then back at Jake. "Well," he huffed. Jake erupted in squeals of laughter.

But Blair wasn't done yet. "You might want to try Maxine. She'll have hair spray since I don't think Jim uses it anymore."

As Jake slid from his chair and ran to the Carstairs front door, Jim muttered, "show off."

"I heard that, Ellison."

"Hey, if the tongue fits, wear it, showoff."

"Um, tonight."

The three men stood back to admire their creation, namely the ugliest, scariest pumpkin in the whole world. Blair cocked his head and rubbed his chin. Jake cocked his head and rubbed his chin. Jim watched.

"Well," Blair finally pronounced, "that is one scary pumpkin. You two done good."

Jim stepped forward, removed the lid from the pumpkin and set a small votive candle inside.

"Should we, maybe light it? Test it out? See if it's scary enough?"

Blair glanced down at Jake and asked, "What say you, welp? Shall we let him light it up?"

One small fist in the air, Jake replied excitedly, "yes,yes,yes, yes!"

"I think you have a yes, Ellison. Light 'er up!"

Fascinated, Blair watched as Jake took a postion next to Jim, one tiny hand on the older man's shirt. Jim struck the long match against the side of the match box and three pairs of blue eyes watched it flare bright, briefly illuminating the two excited faces. Jim dipped the match inside, rested it against the wick and an instant later, it caught. He put the lid on, picked Jake up and stepped back to Blair, who wondered of the two, who was more excited, Jim or Jake.

"perfect," Jim whispered.

"purrrfect," Jake whispered.

"Perfect," thought Blair.

Jim couldn't take his eyes from the Monopoly game still spread out over the coffee table. Blair entered the living room, a mug of coffee in each hand and as he set one down in front of Ellison and took his spot next to the man, Jim said disbelieving, "I can't believe he beat us both. He beat us both."

"No, Jim. He creamed us. Two college graduates, two of Cascade's finest, both incredibly handsome. We were trounced, destroyed, mangled, reamed, slaughtered, demolished and you'll owe him for the rest of your natural life. Join the club, Ellison."

"Sandburg, I was in the military, for God's sake. Covert Ops, Vice, then to top it off, I survived three years of living with you! And he still beat me."

"Poor Jim, poor, poor Jim. But come on, face it. You never beat me either."

"Ha, ha." He took a sip of the coffee, then asked with wonder, "What's he going to be like in a couple of years? Hell, in five or ten years?"

"He'll be normal. Perfectly normal. Trust me."

Ellison glanced at his partner and caught something in the set of Sandburg's chin, something like - determination.

"He'll be like you, Sandburg."

"Not if I can help it, he won't."

Surprised, Jim turned to face the younger man. "What do you mean? He's smart, you said so yourself. Being like you is not a bad thing, Chief."

"Jim, he's a fucking genius, okay? And he'll stay challenged, but his world will stay fun. No pushing, no crazy teachers, no worrying, no panic attacks or psychologists when only five or six, just a normal childhood. He's not going to worry about who to please or who to be today and who to be tomorrow. He's Jake. And if somebody doesn't like it, they'll deal with me."

For the first time, Jim Ellison caught a glimpse of the real childhood of his friend. A glimpse at the demons that had followed him, that had been the cause of I've been in and out of therapy since I got out of my pampers and anxiety and panic attacks are a normal state of being for me.

Blair's hand was resting on his thigh and Jim covered it with his own. "And me, they'll have to deal with me too," he said, then added quietly, "And if I'd been there when you were growing up, anyone giving you grief would have had to deal with me then too."

"Well damn, Ellison."

"Liked that, did you?"

"Not bad, not bad at all."

"So would it be wrong - to spend the night?"

"Heck no. You're welcome to the couch, be my guest."

"You shit."

Jim moved his upper body toward Blair, eyes fastened on Sandburg's mouth.

"You making a move on me, Jim?"

"Thinking about it."

"Well, while you're thinking...," he fisted Jim's shirt and pulled him in. Two minutes later, Blair was on his back, Jim looming over him.

"He doesn't get up in the middle of the night, does he?"

"Worried about getting caught again?" As he spoke, his hands were kneading the firm butt he'd been admiring for years.

"Well, I am about to put the move on his babysitter."

"Cool. Can't tell you how many times I walked in on that very scenario and it sure didn't hurt me."

"Oh, I don't know, Sandburg. Look who you're about to make-out with."

"Good point." Blair pulled Jim down for another kiss and just before their lips touched, he whispered, "once our jake is down, he's down."

Somehow Jim's zipper had been lowered and Blair's right hand was doing pretty wonderful things to Jim's dick which translated into Jim not giving a damn if God himself walked in. He made contact with Blair's mouth and any remote idea of going easy and taking it slow flew out the door as both men found themselves in the middle of one of their finest wet dreams.

Hands fumbled, stroked and rubbed as the heat increased. Lips tasted sweat and skin, took nipples, sucked and bit as hips moved and bodies shifted to bring their dicks into constant contact. Mouths were continuallly being reinvestigated as each man alternated between kissing necks, adams apples and eyelids. The ecstacy built as bodies that had been dreamt of, surrendered to questing hands and lips.

"why so long?" Blair whispered against Jim's neck.

"didn't know, didn't know."

"god, you're stupid."

Jim's lips hovered over Blair's, so close that a drop of moisture touched his. "i know, i know, but you knew that." He closed the distance and claimed another kiss, this one the deepest yet, as if Jim needed to bury himself inside Sandburg.

Their bodies were humping each other, dicks responding to the friction and Jim couldn't hold out any longer. He pulled away from Blair's mouth to bury his face just under Sandburg's neck. His orgasm ripped through him as he thrust down again and again.

Blair's fingers tightened on Jim's shoulders hard enough to leave bruises and he came moments later, his body jerking up. Jim held on, let Blair ride it out, then both relaxed back into the deep comfort of the couch.

"holy cow."

"nah, just a lowly apprentice."

A slap on the side of his head shut Jim up.

"bed."

"uh?"

"bed, warm, soft, get clean - now."

"uh?"

Blair shoved and Jim shifted, moaning as he did so.

"bed, jim. come on. be a good little sentinel, follow your partner to bed."

Sandburg slid out from under the warm body, stood and grabbed a limp hand. "Come on, Jim." He tugged and reluctantly, the warm body followed.

Blair led the nearly comatose Ellison first to the bathroom where he somehow managed to strip them both and wipe their bodies down, then into his room.

Jim stood naked, swaying slightly as the back of his legs bumped against the edge of the bed. Blair rested one finger on Jim's chest and - pushed. Ellison dropped like a cut redwood.

And Blair was suddenly wide awake.

Naked Jim.

Naked Jim on his bed, legs splayed out, eyes closed, dark lashes resting against fair skin, and one beautiful dick nestled in thick, wiry pubic hair. Blair licked his lips, then decided he was definitely licking the wrong item. He knelt down in front of the man and giving Jim's right leg a jiggle, he said, "oooh, beefstick..."

"uh?"

Sandburg smiled, lowered his head and took one long, slow, delicious swipe.

"SHIT!" Jim bolted upright, almost knocking Sandburg on his keister but the younger man held on. With one hand, Blair pushed at the massive chest and the body once again flopped back, pale blue eyes wide with surprise.

"Just lie back, Ellison, and enjoy."

Jim's dick was no longer limp or relaxed as Blair wrapped a firm hand around the base, caressing the silky skin as, with eyes fixed on Jim, he slowly lowered his head...

"god, god, yes.." Jim's eyes closed as his fingers gripped the bedspread almost hard enough to rip a hole through the material.

Blair's mouth and tongue were doing magical things, fingers lightly rolling Jim's balls and he was certain death was near. But then Sandburg worked Jim's entire length inside, cheeks sucking, teeth grazing gently...

...Jim lost it.

A hand crawled out from under the blanket and groped. Found nothing. One bleary blue eye cracked open and found the bed empty.

Instincively Jim knew he shouldn't be alone. Sandburg should be in the bed with him. He could smell him, feel his heat, even a kind of residual energy. Jim turned over and tried to focus. Not his room, he remembered that. He rubbed his chin, then ran his fingers through his hair. Okay, they'd made love out on the couch. Yep, got that. Remembered that. Then Sandburg had - oh, yeah, remembered that real well. And of course, being the perfect gentleman, Jim had reciprocated.

A huge grin broke out as he remembered Blair's reaction, but then the grin faded because - well - Blair wasn't here.

He focused, tilted his head, opened his hearing and immediately climbed out of bed, scrounged around for something to wear, spotted a pair of Sandburg's sweat pants and quickly slipped them on. Too short but he'd live.

Jim walked across the hall to stop just outside Jake's partially opened door. He cocked his head and confirmed that yes, Blair was there.

He stepped inside and stopped cold.

Sandburg, wearing his plaid robe, sat crosslegged on the floor next to Jake's bed, one hand resting on Jake's. The boy was sound asleep, curled up on his side, right arm extended out, left arm cuddled around a stuffed wolfpup. The blankets were puddled at his feet but he didn't seem to be cold.

As Jim moved closer, Blair glanced up and Jim could clearly see the flush of embarassment on Sandburg's face.

"hey."

Blair smiled and motioned for Jim to join him on the floor, which the older man did. In a soft whisper that probably only Jim Ellison could have heard, Blair said, "yeah, okay, you caught me. and if you tell anyone..."

"tell anyone what, chief?" He whispered back, his lips close to Blair's ear.

"that i sneak in here and watch him sleep."

Blair's hand lifted and he let one finger graze along the soft cheek as he added, "he's stayed over a few times before and i can't help it, jim. i have to get up, come here and watch. but you tell anyone and i'll deny it. right after i make sure that Simon makes sure that you disappear."

Jim could actually feel his heart swell. To see this side of his partner, this side of Blair Sandburg was like opening a window expecting to see the same vista, and you do, but now that vista is deeper in peaks and valleys, richer in color, depth and beauty. It had always been beautiful, always special, but now, now it was a tapestry, rich and vibrant, a tapestry of life that could take his breath away.

"we'll watch together."

Jake stepped into the hall, ready to attack the Blairgorgon, but skidded to a halt when he found that he was facing a closed door.

He frowned. The door had never been closed, never. But - but - doors, in the past...

His face fell and tears pooled in his eyes and he wasn't even sure why, only that he knew closed doors meant...bad things. Dejected and a bit afraid, he stood unmoving, then he looked down the hall and all he wanted was to cuddle..to be held - he started to turn away, but the door opened.

"Jake? My man, you're up."

Uncertain, but relieved to see Blair's smiling face, he nodded, his eyes moving from Blair to the room beyond.

Sandburg spotted the unshed tears and immediately scooped the boy into his arms and nuzzled his neck. "Morning, Jake."

"morning." The voice was so small, so - shaken.

"Hey, guess who stayed the night?"

"who?"

"Lowly apprentice Jim."

The face brightened, eyes widening. Jake brought his hand up and scrunched away the tears, then asked, "where, where?"

"Right here, Great Wizard Jake." Jim walked into the hall and came up behind Sandburg. He ruffled the blond curls and seeing the remains of fear and sadness, lightly fingered away a bit of moisture and enquired,

"Why so sad, Great Wizard?"

"door."

"Door?" Blair asked, surprised.

"closed, door closed."

In a flash of insight born of experience, Blair soothed, "Yes, it was closed, Jake and sometimes it will be, but all you have to do is knock. Any time it's closed, you just knock, okay?"

"knock, i only have to knock?"

"Yep, that's all. Remember last week, when you wanted to play jungle explorer games in your room and you closed the door?"

Jake nodded, his forehead creased as he tried to grasp where Blair was going. "Well, why did you close the door?"

"be alone, had to be a jungle."

"Right. If I'd knocked, would you have let me in?"

Jake nodded enthusiastically.

"But the door was closed because you needed it closed, needed the privacy, uh?"

Another nod.

Blair shrugged his shoulders, bouncing Jake as he did so. "See? Privacy is good, isn't it? But if I'd knocked, you'd have let me in and this morning, you only had to knock. I'll always let you in, Jake, always."

"always?" The question was asked with some hesitation, but also a great deal of hope.

"Always. Absolutely."

"kay."

"You ready for breakfast?"

"yup!"

"Good, cause so am I and I'm thinking of eating YOU!" He dove in and began to tickle, his mouth blowing raspberrys against the soft neck. Jake giggled, his fears forgotten.

"You got everything, Hoss?"

The boy stood before him in pale blue jeans, a white sweater, blue jacket, ratty tennis shoes, a bag with some of his toys and another bag of Nutter Butter cookies. "got everything. i'm ready!"

They'd had breakfast, oatmeal with brown sugar and raisins for Jake with hot chocolate to wash it down, bagels and coffee for Blair and Jim. Although after noticing several envious looks, Jake had happily fed Blair two spoonfuls.

Now Blair was off to take Jake to Maggie Cummings, the sometime babysitter and always friend of Karen's, while Jim hurried home to change. They were due at the station by eight and it was now seven.

Giving his home one last, quick look, Blair stepped out, hand on Jake's head, and closed the door behind him. In the courtyard, Jim kissed Jake good-bye, then over his head, dropped another kiss on surprised lips. "See you at the station, Chief."

Sandburg blinked rapidly, surprised at the overt show of affection and nodded.

"stay over tonight?"

Jim grinned down at the happy, upturned face as he answered, "I do believe that could be arranged, Great Wizard Jake." He waved at them as he hurried out to the front. But he didn't fail to catch the muttered, man, I'm gonna have to call Karen, and he grinned.

Blair pulled into Maggie's driveway and after cutting the engine, he reached over and unstrapped Jake, who'd fallen asleep. Not an unusual occurence, Blair had learned. The motion of the car seemed to put him right out.

He quickly moved around to the passenger door, gently pulled the child into his arms, picked up Jake's bag, and grateful that he was asleep, reached back and picked up the bag he'd hidden earlier.

As he walked up to the house, the front door opened and Maggie stepped out onto the porch.

"Welcome, Blair. Come on in." She moved aside and let Blair enter.

Maggie was about Karen's age, but taller and broader. She had a face that time had happily marched across and she was fiercely proud of each and every line and every single gray hair on her now mostly gray head. Her brown eyes twinkled merrily as she gazed down on the sleeping child.

"fell asleep again, i see," she whispered. Blair nodded and held out the other bag.

"maggie, i have a favor to ask," he asked, his voice soft and low.

"name it."

"this is the poncho we're using for his costume, but it needs..."

"a good tailor?" She finished for him, smiling.

He grinned back and nodded. "you nailed it, mags. shortened and basically, well, it's supposed to be a wizard's robe, you know?"

"oh, lordy, of course. i'll do it tonight, after you pick him up, then i can sneak it to you tomorrow, okay?"

"you really need to leave chet and marry me, mags."

Voice rising as Blair moved to wake Jake, she said, "I'll check with him tonight. After 40 years of marriage, I'm ready for a youngster."

They chuckled lightly as Blair gave Jake another little jiggle and the sleepy head rubbed against Blair's shoulder.

"wha'?"

"Wake up, sleepy head, we're at Maggie's."

"blair?"

"Who else, Great Wizard?"

Eyes fluttered open and Jake swiveled his head and spotted Maggie. Rubbing his eyes with one hand, he gave her a small wave with the other, his fingers wiggling slowly.

She held out her arms, but Jake leaned back and buried his face in Blair's neck.

"Hey, Hoss, what's up?"

"wanna go home. wanna go home, please?"

The two adults exchanged startled glances. This was not Jake. He loved staying with Maggie.

"Jake, I have to go to work. And Puddles is waiting for you."

"puddles?" Jake looked around, his eyes scanning the floor.

"Puddles is outside, eager to play chase, Jake. Sure you won't stay with me today? You know how lonely Puddles and I get," Maggie entreated.

He looked at Blair earnestly before answering Maggie and asked, "you'll pick me up?"

"Of course. Me and Jim, okay?"

"promuse?"

"Promise." As he spoke, he searched the young, baby face and figured out that he was still dealing with the whole closed door issue from earlier.

"Jake, partner, my man, it's okay. Honest. You and me, Jake, always." Then he placed his hand, curled into a light fist, against Jake's heart and said, "knock, knock."

Jake ducked his head, then wrapped his arm around Blair's neck and held tightly. Blair repeated the motion with the words and this time Jake smiled against Blair's skin. Blair whispered against an ear, "say who's there."

"who's there?"

"Doris." He whispered again, "say, doris who."

"doris who?"

"Doris locked, that's why I had to knock!"

A giggle reverberated through his skin and he tried another one.

"Knock, knock."

"who's there?"

"Ant."

"ant who?"

"Ants in your pants!" And he began to tickle mercilessly as Jake's delighted squeals filled the room. Blair slowed his tickling and let Jake calm down and just as he was about to hand him over to Maggie, Jake said, "knock, knock."

"Who's there?"

"me."

"Me who?"

"just - me. can i come in?"

Blair's expression softened as he ran a finger over Jake's nose, swooping it down to the end, and tapping it twice, he said, "Always, Jake. You can always come in."

He leaned forward as Maggie put out her arms and this time, Jake let his body float into Maggie. Blair rested his hand on the back of Jake's head and brought him over a bit. "You be good, keep Puddles jumping and I'll call you at lunch, okay? And don't forget, Gammy will call you too."

He smiled then, not the full Jake smile, but a smile and Blair kissed him on the cheek and was surprised when Jake put his hand on Blair's face and kissed him back. "i'm always good. be back soon, please?"

"Well, it'll almost be dark before I get back, so what say I call before I come, okay?"

"call me all day!"

Maggie tweaked a curl and exclaimed, "Why honey, the man would never get any work done!"

"don't care."

"Well, Jim and Simon care, young man and so do you, but I will call, I promise. Deal?" He held out his hand and was glad to see the small, pale one slip into his. He dropped another kiss on top of Jake's head, said his good-byes and with a final smile for Maggie, left.

As he walked to his car, he wondered why he felt as though he'd just left a part of his soul behind.

Blair arrived before Jim and after parking in the garage, he decided to utilize the time waiting for the older man by calling Karen in Boston. He checked his wallet and found the number she'd given him. He dialed and moments later, a young woman answered.

<hello?>

"Karen Porter, please? This is Blair Sandburg."

<Just a minute>

As the receiver was set down, it hit Blair that perhaps he'd just been talking to Diane.

<Blair? Is everything all right?>>

"Everything's fine, Karen. I just, there's something, I mean, oh, shit." The response on the other end of the phone was laughter. "Karen, this is serious. Really."

<Okay, shoot and how's Jake? Getting excited about Halloween?>

"Very. Jim and I will be taking him around tomorrow, he's all set with his costume and, well, you see, last night, I mean, Jim and we, I mean, he and I, well, you see..."

<Oh, my God, you and Jim are back together?>

"....he and I, and this morning...what did you just say?"

<You and Jim. Back together, yes? I realize I haven't met him yet, but the way you always talk about him, I just assumed that you two broke up and that's why you moved>

Blair was stunned. His mouth moved, but no sound came out until he realized...

"No, no, Karen, Jim and I, we, never, no, I just lived with him, you see? I didn't live with him."

<So you two haven't gotten back together?>

"Well, yes, yes, we have, I mean, no, no we haven't gotten back together, because you see, we were never together, but, well, now, well now..."

<You are?>

"...I guess you could say that we - um, yes."

<And the problem would be?>

"Karen, some people would object if the person they were entrusting their grandchild, was, I mean, you know, had company and that's if the company was a woman. Jim isn't."

<Well, I never thought he was and could you explain how it is that you two could live together, how long?>

"Three years."

<Three years and it's only when you move out that you two get together?>

Okay, he loved this woman. Shaking his head and laughing, he said,

"Karen, what can I say? The man is slow."

<Honey, there is slow, and then there slooow>

"Yeah, well, Jim Ellison makes a snail frozen to the sidewalk in snowstorm look speedy. Take my word for it."

<Blair? I don't need to take your word for it>

Laughing even harder, Blair had to agree with her.

After they both calmed down, he asked curiously, "Was that Diane? The woman who answered the phone?"

<No, honey. That was Crystal, my friend's daughter. Diane isn't here. She went to Amherst to visit and - say good-bye to some friends. I'm picking her up on Thursday and together we'll drive to the airport.>

"So she's coming home?"

<She's going to try, Blair. We'll be coming in late Thursday evening>

Blair exhaled slowly.

"That's great news, Karen. How late? And do you want me to bring Jake?"

There was a slight pause and he could hear her sudden intake of breath.

<Maybe - not>

"What ever you think best."

<She's so nervous, Blair, but so happy at the same time. She's my daughter, but I have to think of Jake now>

"Karen, it'll be okay. How are you two getting along?"

<Not bad, a little wary, like two animals circling, you know?>

He chuckled and said, "I know. She must be scared, Karen. The idea of seeing Jake again, of being home, starting over - "

<I know, I know. Both of us are walking on eggshells when we speak, both careful of every word, every nuance. That's one of the reasons I'm so worried about Jake>

"How can I help?"

<Well, I do have an idea>

The pause on the other end of the phone worried him, but he patiently waited...

<I was thinking - maybe - Jake could stay with you for a few days after our return? Let he and his mother get reacquainted slowly as she and I work things out?>

"You really want that, Karen?"

<I think it might be the best way. What do you think? You know he won't mind>

"If you think it'll help, I'm in."

<Oh, Blair, thank you! I know it will work, I just know it. And I know Diane will feel more at ease as well>

"Then no worries, Karen. What time does your flight get in?"

<Nine, flight 232>

"I'll be there and Jim can stay with Jake."

<Blair, I love you!>

"Ah, the Sandburg charm."

They shared a laugh before ringing off and as Blair put the phone in his pocket, a rapping on the car window caught his attention. He glanced up quickly and smiled at the handsome face currently crossing his eyes at him. He opened the door and Jim stepped back.

"You know your face could freeze like that."

"Is it a good look for me?"

"Amazing. I think it's the real you!"

"Smartass."

They started walking toward the elevator, trading insults until they got inside and started up.

"You were talking to Karen? Everything okay?"

"Everything's fine. And you'll be happy to know that she is ecstatic that we're back together."

Jim turned to face Sandburg, his face showing his confusion. "Excuse me? Back together?"

"Yep. She just assumed, from the way I talked about you, that we'd broken up, but that now we were back together."

Jim scratched his head in thought, then, "Well, I'll be damned." Then Blair's words, all of them, caught up to Ellison.

"Uh, Sandburg, just how did you talk about me?"

"Evidently - like a man in love." He looked down at his shoes - waiting.

"Is that what you are," Jim asked softly.

"Would appear so."

"I guess we really are partners in all things, then, eh, Chief?"

The elevator slid open on seven and as they stepped out, Blair answered with, "Guess so, Jim."