BROKEN BONDS

By

LilyK

Blair Sandburg struggled through the blackness towards the light. Voices, he could hear voices. Were they calling him? His mind grappled to process the sounds into coherency. He tried to answer, to call for his partner. He needed Jim. Where was he? His throat closed and he gasped, unable to catch his breath. With his lungs on fire, Blair started to panic. I can't breathe! His mind screamed for him to breathe, but his body failed to follow his instructions, to take that needed breath. I'm dead! I'm dead! God, it hurts!

Blair flailed his arms violently as suffocation grabbed hold of him. Spots swirled and his body floated as he started to sink into the blackness again, only to be yanked into the light in one swift motion by sharp pain in his arms.

The voices returned. One in particular was loud and harsh.

"Blair! Blair!" The irritated voice assailed his ears. "Breathe, damn you, Sandburg! That's an order!" A bit of a shake accompanied the strong voice.

Another voice. Angry, frightened. "Captain, Banks! Let go of him this instant. Nurse! Call security! Now! Move your ass before he injures this patient!"

The doctor tried to pry Simon's fingers from around Blair's arms, but he released his hold on one arm only long enough to push the doctor back.

The irate doctor approached the side of Blair's bed again when he gasped loudly and started wheezing as air finally inflated his lungs. Simon moved his hands to pull the detective close. He looked at the doctor, his eyes wet around the edges. "He's breathing! Thank God, he's breathing, Doctor."

The doctor ordered in an irritated voice, "Captain, please remove yourself from this room, and let me check my patient!"

"Doctor, you'd better call a lot of security if you think I'm leaving this room," Simon barked.

Blair's breathing settled just a bit, and he hiccupped several times. He blinked rapidly and finally focused. When he opened his eyes, the only thing he could see was a field of white material from Simon's shirt. Blair closed his eyes, moaned softly and shuddered from head to toe. Simon quickly released his friend and gently laid him back against the pillows.

"Blair?" Simon asked while his hand smoothed the sweat-soaked strands of hair from Blair's brow.

Blair's eyes popped opened and met Simon's concerned brown ones. "Jim?" he whispered hoarsely.

"Shhh. Take it easy, Sandburg. I'm here." Simon said reassuringly.

Blair's hand weakly clutched Simon's shirtsleeve. "Jim!"

"He's not here, Blair. He's…" Simon was forced to move back when the doctor pushed himself between Simon and Blair and started to examine his patient.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Sandburg?" the man asked as two security guards burst into the room. The doctor glared at Simon for just a second before he turned to the guards. "It's okay. Thank you. I won't need you." He dismissed the men with a wave of his hand.

Blair's eyes searched frantically for Simon, who was blocked from his sight by the physician's body before Simon moved around to the other side of the bed. Blair's hand reached out again. "Simon! Jim?"

Simon grasped the hot, dry hand in his warm large one, and his other hand patted Blair's head a bit clumsily. Simon leaned over and spoke softly. "Blair, listen to me. Jim can't be here right now. I'm here to help you. Do you understand?"

Blair shook his head, "No, no, no. Please, no." He choked back dry sobs. "He’s deaddeaddead,” Blair whispered over and over while his head tossed from side to side. "I want Jim. Please, Simon, Jimjim."

Simon watched as the doctor injected a sedative into the IV line leading into Blair's arm. Tears formed once again in Simon's eyes while his hand comforted the distraught man. Blair's eyes fluttered and closed as the drug took effect. Simon wiped the sweat away from Blair's forehead gently.

"Blair, he's not dead. God, he's not dead. But he might as well be," Simon said softly.

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It was another eight hours before Blair was coherent enough to talk to Simon, who was waiting patiently at his bedside.

Blair's eyes flew open, and the first words out of his mouth were: "Where is he, Simon?"

"Hey, Sandburg. How are you feeling?" Simon asked.

"Cut the crap, Captain. He's dead, isn't he?" Blair said tonelessly.

"Blair, he's not dead."

Blair's eyes met Simon's, who looked away from the hard gaze. "You're lying."

Simon forced his eyes back to meet Blair's. "I'm not lying, Blair. Jim is not dead."

"Just how long are we going to do this little dance, Captain? I've told you before that I would feel if Jim were dead. Did you ever doubt that? Do you think I would lie about something like that? Damn it, Simon, I can't feel Jim! Do you know what that means? Do you have any idea how that feels?" Blair's fists clenched handfuls of sheet and his knuckles turned white.

"When you calm down, I'll try to explain Jim's condition to you, but not until you are calm. Do you understand me?" Simon said more harshly than he intended. He sighed. "Please, Blair, this is hard for me, too."

Blair softened just a bit, and his voice was somewhat controlled when he said, "Just tell me. I'm a grown man. Not a fucking kid. Don't treat me like one. Tell me about Jim and why I'm in this hospital."

Simon nodded slowly. "Jim is alive. He's being held at Conover. But, Sandburg, he's totally unresponsive. He can't or won't talk. He's blind and deaf. He's totally cut off from everyone and everything."

Blair struggled to sit up, but Simon's hand on his shoulder forestalled his action. "You stay put! Here, use the elevation control, but I'll be damned if you're getting out of that bed."

Blair glared at Simon while he pressed the button, raising the bed until he was sitting up facing his boss, who sat on the edge. "Tell me everything," he demanded.

Simon nodded sadly. "You and Jim didn't come to work on Tuesday morning, and after I couldn't raise either of you by phone for a couple of hours, I sent a cruiser by. They reported that the door was locked and there was no response to their knock. Both of your vehicles were in the front as usual. I had a funny feeling, so I had them kick in the door. You and Jim were both unconscious on the living room floor. The paramedics were called, and both of you were brought to the ER.

"Blair, you weren't breathing! Three times in the last two days you've stopped breathing. The doctors say there's no reason for it. They've run every test in the book on you, and there is no medical explanation. You've been in and out of consciousness for two days."

Blair nervously pulled at a strand of hair. "Two days? Oh, man, I don't remember anything about it. So that's why you were shaking me, and then I -- started breathing again. That is really strange, Simon." Meeting Simon's concerned gaze, he asked, "Tell me about Jim, please."

Simon sighed. "Hell, Blair, I'm really sorry about that -- the shaking. I was shaking you because I was just so angry you were being sucked back into -- wherever you've been going. I just wanted it to stop. I couldn't let you go again." Simon ran a hand across his forehead. "Anyway. Jim came to a short time after you were both brought into the ER. Blair, I can't even describe it. I was so scared. I still am."

Blair placed a hand on Simon's arm. "I can't help Jim if I don't know what happened. Please, Simon, tell me everything you can think of. Everything."

"Okay," Simon said with a nod. "In the ER, he did open his eyes, but he didn't -- couldn't talk. He couldn't see or hear. I touched his hand, but he didn't react to my touch, almost like he couldn't feel me, Blair. He freaked, totally and completely freaked. It took five orderlies to finally restrain him. He looked so scared but I couldn't help! I felt so damned useless. It was awful. He didn't say a word or make a sound; it was just absolute and utter panic."

Blair sat very still and silent. Simon sat quietly, waiting. When Blair finally looked into Simon's eyes, he said firmly, "Take me to him."

Simon rose from the bed. "You're in no condition to leave. Did you hear what I said? You stopped breathing, more than once. It could happen at any time. I can't take that risk until we know what is going on here."

"Either you take me to Jim, or I'll find another way, Captain," Blair stated adamantly, and he swung his legs to the floor, yanking out the oxygen tube that had been placed in his nose.

Simon came around the bed quickly when Blair's shaky legs started to give out. He grabbed Blair by the waist. "Sandburg, you aren’t leaving here!"

Blair took a deep breath and stood once more, this time gritting his teeth and forcing his body to obey his commands. He swayed slightly, huffed out his breath, then stood firmly, tilting his chin to the side to look at his captain. "Help me or get the hell out of the way," he growled.

Simon's mouth fell open before he clamped it shut quickly. "I'll get your clothes."

"Thank you," Blair said, yanking the IV needle out of the back of his hand, ignoring the small drips of blood that fell from the fresh wound.

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Simon Banks drew himself to his full height and presented his badge to the guard at the gate to Conover Psychiatric Hospital, ready to argue about gaining admittance. Luckily, the guard barely glanced at the badge, pointed to a spot for Simon to sign in, and then waved him and his companion through the metal door, pressing the button to release the lock. The door buzzed, Simon pushed it open, and he and Blair stood for just a second as it closed silently behind them with a firm click.

The two men walked to the reception area as directed and requested a pass to visit Detective James Ellison. The receptionist scanned the computer monitor in front of her after tapping in a few quick commands.

"Wait here, please. I have to call for his doctor. He's the only one who can grant visitation."

Simon nodded, looking over his shoulder at his detective. Blair stood uncharacteristically quiet and still. In fact, Simon reflected, he had hardly said more than a half dozen words since they left the hospital and drove the six miles out of Cascade to the mental facility.

"Blair, you okay?"

Blair's troubled blue eyes met Simon's. "No."

Simon grimaced and sighed. "Me, neither."

After several long minutes, a middle-aged man in a white coat came into the reception area. He walked up to Simon, and they shook hands.

"Captain Banks. I'm Dr. Joel Mendelson. You and I worked on a case several years ago."

Simon smiled quickly. "Yes, Doctor, I remember. You have a good memory. That was a difficult prosecution."

The doctor nodded. "Yes, it was. Now what can I do for you today? I understand you are requesting permission to visit one of my patients, James Ellison."

"Yes, he's a detective in my division. Oh, excuse me, this is Detective Blair Sandburg. He's Ellison's partner. We're very concerned, and we'd like to see him."

Dr. Mendelson nodded. "Of course. Normally I would deny such a request this early in his treatment because I would want to avoid upsetting the patient, but unfortunately, Mr. Ellison won't even be aware of your presence. He's totally unaware of any outside stimulus of any kind."

Out of the corner of Simon's eye, he caught Blair's sharp intake of breath and his forward movement towards the doctor. Simon casually clamped a hand on Blair's shoulder, discreetly digging his thumb into the back of Blair's shoulder blade.

"Oh, really," Simon said conversationally. "Exactly what does that mean? Have you run tests or something? Is that different than, say, being catatonic?"

"I've run a full battery of tests," the doctor explained in great detail. "He reacts to none of them. Not to tests of his motor skills, or of his hearing, verbal or optical abilities. He also shows no tactile responses. His response to anti-psychotic drugs has been very sporadic. I've tried the usual drug regimen, but his reactions have been quite -- unusual. I've discontinued the drug therapy for the time being. So far, he's not been self-destructive, and after the initial violent outburst at the hospital that I was informed of, he's been quite easy to control."

Simon nodded thoughtfully, his hand never leaving Blair's shoulder. Blair stood as if carved in granite, digging his fingernails into the palms of his hands. He catalogued every syllable the doctor spoke, but he was becoming restless. He needed to see Jim, needed to touch him, be near him.

Simon continued his questions. "And you have, of course, ruled out any physical reasons for this condition?"

Dr. Mendelson said, "Yes, of course, first thing, actually. While he was still in the ER, they ran a blood test for drugs - that came back clean, by the way. He's not catatonic, because his brain wave pattern demonstrates normal brain activity." The doctor rubbed his chin. "That's been the strange part. Mr. Ellison's brain activity shows no sign of schizophrenia or abnormality. I find this case very interesting. I understand Mr. Ellison had some psychotic behavior in his youth."

Blair finally reached the end of his rope. "What!?" he yelped. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

The doctor was taken aback at Blair's outburst. Simon grabbed Blair's arm and smiled ingratiatingly at the doctor. "Excuse us for a second, please, Doctor?"

"Of course," he answered.

Simon steered Blair a few feet from the doctor. "Sandburg! Will you please shut up? Do you or do you not want to see Jim? We have absolutely no right to be here. You are not Jim's next of kin. His father is, I'll have you know, and that's who signed the commit order."

"What?" Blair cried. "Simon, his father? No way, his old man is in Zurich for six months. There is no way he signed anything." Blair stopped abruptly, his hand flying to his mouth. "Oh my God. Who did this? Simon, someone did this to Jim. Did something to him and to me."

"Let's get all the information we possibly can before we are discovered. Don't you think I know Jim isn't insane? Someone or something is out there, and it looks like it wants you both dead." Simon put a hand under Blair's elbow, who's face was pale and his respiration was fast and shallow. Concerned, Simon whispered, "Sandburg, hold it together. Are you breathing okay?"

Blair nodded. "Yes, let's hurry. I feel -- strange, Simon, Something is so wrong."

The two men went back over to the waiting physician, and Simon smiled again. "Thank you, Doctor. You've been more than patient with all these questions." He chuckled quietly. "I'm a policeman, not a doctor. It's people like you who help us do our job better."

"Why thank you, Captain. Anyway, what I was saying was that Mr. Ellison's father described his boyhood problems. I would have been more than happy to work with Mr. Ellison. It is a very interesting case, but the senior Mr. Ellison has already arranged for my patient to be transferred to a private facility in Portland tomorrow. Mr. Ellison wants his son to be closer to home so that he may oversee his care personally."

It took every ounce of resolve that Simon had to ask the next question without putting his fist through the nearest wall. Blair had gone to sit in one of the hard plastic chairs several feet behind the doctor with a look on his face of total misery.

Simon asked conversationally, "When is Ellison being transferred, Doctor?"

"If I'm not mistaken, arrangements are made for the ambulance making the pick up to be here at 3:00 p.m."

"Thank you, Doctor. Now if we may, we would certainly like to see our friend once more before he leaves Cascade. Say our good-byes, even if he's unaware of us. It will make us feel a bit better knowing we did all that we could. I'm sure you understand. He's been a friend for many years." Simon gave the man an ingratiating smile.

"Yes, I know how hard this kind of mental illness is on friends and family. Everyone wonders why them and why now. Just follow me." The doctor turned and used his key card to gain entrance through the large steel door. He stepped through and held the door open for the two visitors, then he talked as they walked down several corridors and up one flight of stairs. "Like I said, normally I wouldn't allow visitors, but I totally understand the need for closure. Ah, here we are." The doctor once again slid the key card into its lock, and the door clicked. He stepped back. "I'll come back in say, thirty minutes?" At Simon's nod, he turned and left.

Blair stood unsteadily with his hand holding the door open just a crack. Simon put a hand on his shoulder. He could feel the tremors coursing through Blair's frame.

"Sandburg, are you okay?"

Blair's throat was in knots. He shook his head and pushed open the door.

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Blair held his breath as his eyes searched the small enclosure for his lover. The room itself held no furniture, and the walls and floors were covered with mattress-like material to keep its occupant from injuring himself. Jim was sitting with his back in the far corner, knees drawn up and arms wrapped around his legs. His head was pillowed on his knees. He was wearing hospital garb, a white tunic and white pants. He did not respond to Blair's cry of "Jim!"

Blair crossed the room at a run and fell to his knees in front of his partner. He put his hands on Jim's head, petting and speaking softly. Jim failed to react to his touch or his voice. Blair called, "Jim, please, it's Blair," over and over, but Jim remained in the exact same position, never registering Blair's presence. If not for the rise and fall of his chest, Blair would have thought him dead. He moved as close as humanly possible to his mate and wrapped an arm around Jim's shoulders and another around his legs, holding the tightly wrapped body.

"Please, Jim, please, please, oh, man, please, answer me," Blair's voice cracked. With a small sob, he buried his face in the crook of Jim's neck. Jim never moved, not even when Blair's lips touched the side of his neck.

Simon knelt in front of the lovers and placed a hand on Jim's shoulder. "Ellison, come on, buddy. Talk to me. It's Simon. Come on, Jim. All the guys miss you down at the station."

Both men talked and touched for the longest time, but nothing they said or did elicited a response from their friend. Simon could tell from the tone of Blair's voice that he was very close to losing it. "Sandburg, we'll do something," he promised. "We can't let them take him. We could try for an emergency court order."

Blair did not raise his head from Jim's shoulder but turned his face towards his boss. "He's not going anywhere. This is not some mental illness. This is something Sentinel related. I know it. I can feel it. Simon, I can sense it. Jim's still in there. He can't hear me. I can't reach him, but he's still here. I know he is." Blair quickly wiped his tear-stained face and straightened his shoulders. "And I know what to do." With those words, Blair rose and leaned down to place a soft kiss on the top of Jim's head. "I'll see you later, Jim."

Blair walked confidently to the door just as the doctor opened it and said, "Sorry, fellows, time's up." Blair nodded, mumbled, "Thanks," and headed out of the building. Simon stopped long enough to shake the doctor's hand and thank him before he rushed to catch up with Blair.

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Blair's resolve lasted until he stepped though the door of the loft. That's when the overwhelming feeling of dread slammed into him. His stomach rebelled, and his head started to spin. Simon saw the strange look wash over Blair's face and managed to catch him when his eyes rolled back and his legs collapsed. He laid Blair on the sofa before he raced to the kitchen sink to grab a wet washcloth. He knelt beside the unconscious man, wiping Blair's face until he groaned and opened his eyes.

"What happened?" Blair blurted out.

"You fainted. Blair, what is going on? How do you feel?" Simon asked with concern.

"I feel really sick. I was fine until…"

"What, Sandburg, until what?"

"Until I walked though the doorway. Something's wrong here. I feel awful. It's dark and dirty. I need to get out of here. Get me the telephone, Simon, please, and hurry." Blair coughed. "Hurry, Simon, I can't -- breathe."

"You can use my cell," Simon responded.

"No, the number's -- in memory. I -- don't know it. Please, Simon -- hurry." Blair gasped for air.

Simon grabbed the telephone in one hand and flung open the loft door with the other. He rushed to Blair's side and literally scooped him from the sofa with one arm and hauled him out into the hallway. He set Blair back on his feet and kept an arm around his shoulders until Blair's legs were steady. "Better out here?"

Blair breathed in and out heavily several times. "Yeah, a little bit. Thanks," he said, taking the phone from Simon's hand. He accessed the phone memory system and punched in 26. The line was answered on the second ring.

"Dennis? It's Blair Sandburg… No, I'm not fine… And neither is Jim… Come now, please… Five hours?… Okay… Listen, I can't stay here at the loft. Something's wrong here. I'll be at Simon Banks' place, 75 Laurel Lane, #109. My cell is… shit, no cell. Wait, Simon's is 555-3745… Thank you… Please hurry." Blair disconnected, handing the phone back to Simon. "Dennis and Jeremy will be here in five hours. They're chartering a private plane."

Simon looked confused. "Dennis and Jeremy?"

Blair started to explain when the strange feeling grabbed hold of him once again. He closed his eyes and clutched his throat. He trembled, and as Simon reached out for him, he started to slowly fold. Simon reacted quickly, once again gathering the fainting man in his arms. This time he did not even try to take Blair back into the loft. Whatever was causing Blair's reactions must be permeating the building. Simon dropped the cordless phone right there in the hall, and without even bothering to close the door, he strode down the hall and quickly hit the elevator button.

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Blair revived in the back seat of Simon's car on the ride to his apartment across town. Simon kept a close eye on him in the rearview mirror after he made a quick call to the precinct to ask dispatch to send a man over to 852 Prospect and lock the dreadful place up tight. Once they had started to pull away from the building, Blair had started coming around almost immediately. He groaned and rubbed his head.

"What the hell is going on?" Blair sighed. "Oh, man this sucks. Not to mention that this is getting ridiculous. There is some curse or voodoo or something going on. Jim's shut down completely. I faint when I'm anywhere near my home. I'm on life support for two days. Someone or something is fucking with us!"

Simon concurred, "This is weird, even for you two. I don't like it at all. How in the hell am I supposed to fight unseen forces? Damn it, Sandburg, what are we going to do?"

Blair sat up in the back seat. "First thing we're going to do is get Jim out of that hellhole."

"And just how are we going to do that? Waltz in and take him?"

"Yes." Blair's eyes met Simon's in the rear view mirror.

"What?" Simon exclaimed. "Blair, I can't get involved in breaking and entering or busting a patient out of a mental hospital. I'm the captain of a police squad, for God's sake."

Blair scooted up and spoke right into Simon's right ear. "Listen to me, I am getting Jim out of there. Something has blocked his senses to everything. This isn't some -- criminal activity. This is Sentinel activity. There is a rogue Sentinel in Cascade or a rogue Guide loose, or someone who is out to hurt us. Somebody's using his or her abilities to harm us. They must know about us, and they're trying to either kill us or take one or the other." Blair's voice dropped low. He said adamantly, "And I'm not going to let that happen."

"And just who are these guys you called?"

Blair sat back and ran his hand through his hair. "Dennis is a Sentinel."

Simon's eyes once again met Blair's in the rearview mirror. Blair just nodded. "Jim and I met Dennis and Jeremy, his Guide, just after the mess with my dissertation." He snorted softly, remembering. "You probably won't believe this, but do you know how they found us?" When Simon shook his head, Blair continued, "They read about us in the National Enquirer. Can you believe that? In a news tabloid. Of course, to most people it was right up there with two-headed dogs and alien abductions, but Dennis and Jeremy knew it was true."

Blair put back his head and closed his eyes. He paused briefly, then he said, "They called, and we arranged a meeting in a neutral location. Do you remember when Jim and I took that long weekend and went to St. Louis?"

"Yeah, Sandburg, I remember."

"Well, we met with them. It was just an experiment to begin with. Would two Sentinels in the same location kill each other? After you-know-who, I wasn't sure, but Jim and Dennis were willing to meet, so we all agreed. Things went well, so well that we've all kept in touch ever since. And we all promised each other to help in case the other pair needed it. And right now, Simon, we need it."

"Okay, Blair. I understand. But what do you think this other Sentinel and his Guide can accomplish?"

"I'm hoping that whoever is trying to take Jim - and it is Jim they want, Simon, now that I think about it, or why else arrange to have him moved to another location? Anyway, I'm hoping that even though they've blocked Jim to me and to his surroundings here, that another Sentinel and Guide can somehow help me break through and reach him."

"You think that will work?"

Blair threw up his hands. "Simon, I have no idea. But it's the only thing that fits. There is an evil force doing this, and it's not some faceless, mindless demon entity, it's a flesh and blood man or woman. I need a Sentinel to help me find this person. I can't do it alone. No offense, Simon," Blair added hastily.

"None taken, Sandburg."

When they arrived at Simon's apartment building, he parked and opened the back door, helping Blair to his feet. "You okay now?" Simon asked solicitously.

Blair stood for a few seconds, looking around, testing. "Yeah, nothing here is bothering me. Everything feels okay."

Simon smiled. "Good. Let's go in. I'm tired, and I bet you are too. And hungry."

Blair shrugged. "Nah, I'm not tired or hungry. I'm angry. I'm afraid," Blair's voice fell to a whisper. "I'm alone."

"No, Sandburg, you are not alone. I'm not a substitute for Jim, I know that, but you are definitely not alone."

Blair nodded and a corner of his mouth curved slightly. "Thanks, Simon, I appreciate it."

Simon led the way, and in just a few moments they were safely behind the locked door of his apartment. "Sit, Detective, and I'll make sandwiches."

Blair nodded and, after a quick trip to the bathroom, found a spot on the sofa in Simon's living room.

Simon carried in a tray holding two glasses of milk, two cans of Coke, three sandwiches (two ham and cheddar, and one salami and Swiss), a bag of barbecue-flavored chips, and a jar of pickles. He put the tray on the coffee table and sat next to Blair.

"Come on, Sandburg, eat something. It will make me feel better. Besides, you haven't had anything for almost three days. You were in that hospital for forty-eight hours, you know," Simon coaxed his guest.

Blair smiled just a bit and nodded. "Okay, okay, stop bugging me. I'll eat a bite."

It took a very short time for the entire tray to be amicably shared by the two friends. Blair sat back against the sofa when he was finished.

"Thanks, Simon, I didn't realize I was that hungry."

"You're welcome. Why don't you lie down for a while? Your friends won't be here for almost four hours. Plenty of time for a nap."

Blair yawned widely. "Okay," he replied as he slipped off his shoes and curled on his side on the sofa. Simon pulled a blanket from the hall closet on his trip back from the bathroom and dropped it on the already sleeping man. He noticed that Blair's left hand still had dried blood on it from where he had pulled out the IV needle. Simon used a warm cloth and dabbed the hand clean, gently rubbed in some antiseptic, and covered the wound with a bandage. Blair never stirred at Simon's ministrations.

Simon carried the tray back into the kitchen and set it on the counter. He turned out the lights, except for the small one in the hallway in case Blair woke and needed to see his way to the bathroom. He went into the living room and stretched out on his favorite recliner, falling asleep in minutes after a last affectionate glance at his favorite young detective.

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The knocking at the front door had Simon up in seconds, his gun cocked and ready in his hand.

A quick peek through the peephole revealed two strangers. So one of these guys was a Sentinel? "We'll, see," he said to himself. With the door still firmly closed, Simon whispered, "Who is it?"

A soft chuckle answered. "It's Dennis Marshall, Captain Banks, and my partner, Jeremy Rogers. You won't need that gun, sir."

Jeremy and Dennis by Ankaree

Simon flipped the dead bolt and flung open the door. "Come in, please, and be quiet. Blair's sleeping."

The Sentinel entered, followed closely by his Guide. Simon gave the pair the once over, noting Dennis' lithe frame, thick blond hair that touched his collar, and sparkling hazel eyes. Dennis smiled and nodded at Simon's obvious perusal of the two men. Jeremy looked a bit older than his forty-ish companion, short, wavy darker hair and dark eyes, a bit on the husky side but with an air of power about him. Simon finally closed the door and waved the men into the living room.

Jeremy nodded and held out his hand. "Glad to meet you, Captain, we've heard a lot about you."

Simon nodded in return, taking the outstretched hand. "Same here." He turned to Dennis. "So you're one, too."

Dennis nodded. "Yes, sir, I certainly am," he said, shaking Simon's hand. "Please excuse my abruptness, but tell us what's going on. Blair wouldn't have called unless it was life or death, so we don't want to waste time."

Simon and Dennis sat on chairs, and Jeremy sat on the floor next to Blair. He gently touched the bandaged hand and sat quietly listening to Simon's explanations of what had happened to Blair and Jim in the last forty-eight hours. He was just finishing up his narration when Blair stirred and opened his eyes.

Jeremy smiled into the face of his friend. "Hello, Blair."

Blair managed a small smile. "Hey, Jeremy." He sat up and closed his eyes, feeling dizzy once again. Jeremy rose and sat down next to him.

"Your connection to Jim is broken. That's why you keep feeling faint and out of sorts. You aren't grounding each other any more because someone's interfering with your bonding. And believe me, we're going to find out who's responsible and stop them. Aren't we, Dennis?"

Dennis moved quickly to sit on the other side of Blair and put an arm across hiss shoulders. Jeremy slid his arm on the top of Dennis'. Blair closed his eyes and trembled so they moved closer, comforting the grieving Guide. Dennis' hand reached up, and he lightly directed Blair's head to his shoulder. "We'll do everything we possibly can to help you. You know that, Blair. We'll get Jim out of there now."

Jeremy placed a hand on Blair's leg. "I want to say it will be all right. I can't lie to you. I just don't know, but if it's in our power, we'll do it or die trying. You know we will."

Blair opened his eyes and peeked at Jeremy from his protected position against Dennis. "Yes, thank you. Thank you so much. I need Jim."

Dennis rubbed Blair's shoulder. "Of course you do." He looked over Blair's head at his partner. "Let's get to it."

Jeremy snapped open the small suitcase he had carried with him and pulled out his laptop, powering up the customized satellite connection. "Man, I love technology," he quipped. Dennis just rolled his eyes.

"Boys and their toys," Dennis stated. Jeremy just grinned at his partner.

Within a few minutes, Jeremy relayed his findings. "Okay, all the paperwork is in place. William Ellison has signed transfer papers to Hill Valley Hospital, 1356 Magnolia Avenue, Portland, Oregon. Looks like everything has been taken care of. Good. Let's just change the pick up time from 3 p.m. to 10 am. That will give us ample time for a good head start. Now, we'll just print ourselves a set of these transfer papers." Jeremy smirked and sent the commands to the portable printer he had set up on the coffee table in front of him.

Blair and Dennis sat quietly while Simon watched incredulously as the talented man hacked into the computer at the hospital and printed copies of all the pertinent documents within minutes. Next he rented an ambulance and three uniforms for the "doctor" and the "orderlies" who would be picking up one James Ellison.

Simon finally found enough brain cells to ask a few questions. "Wait, where are you going to get a doctor and two orderlies? Sandburg is in no condition to go undercover."

Dennis said, "Oh, I agree. Blair's not going undercover." Blair started to protest at being left out of the breakout plan, but was quickly silenced by a stern look from Dennis. "I'm a great doctor, and Jeremy looks especially handsome in hospital whites, and you, my dear captain, look the part of a hulking orderly sent just in case the patient becomes unruly. Are you in or out?"

Simon never hesitated. "I'm in."

Blair was surprised, and he straightened up quickly. "Simon, are you sure? Your job could be at stake. We're taking Jim somewhere far away until we can figure out who's blocking his senses and trying to hurt us."

"Sandburg, I'm in," Simon groused, "I know what I'm doing. In means in. I'm in."

Blair smiled and held up a hand. "Okay, Simon, you're in. Thank you." Blair sighed and leaned back against Dennis once again. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry," he whispered.

Dennis caught one of Blair's hands and held it. "For what? For being a Guide? You aren't thinking that you're responsible for this? Good God, Blair, how could you know? You protect Jim every day, but you aren't invincible. You're human, just like I am and Jeremy, too. Whoever is doing this is pure evil. You had absolutely no way of knowing this was going to happen. Blair, there are Sentinels and Guides who are terrible people just like anybody else. You, of all people, should know that. You've experienced it first hand. We're no different than anybody else. We run the gamut from good to bad and everything in between."

"I know. I just feel like such a failure." Blair sighed again. "It's my job to protect Jim. And it's my decision to love him, too."

Jeremy talked while he typed. "Whoever is doing this doesn't know what kind of trouble he's caused. It would have been much easier to take and influence an unbonded Sentinel. One who is as bonded as Jim is, is almost impossible to control. I can't figure out why he or she wants Jim, but really, I don't much care. All I know is that they can't have him. He belongs to you, Blair."

Simon sat quietly listening. He hadn't realized until now just how intertwined the lives of the Sentinel and the Guide were. "There is something I have to ask. I'm not sure how to, so I'll just say it out loud. What happens if you can't reconnect Jim to Blair? What happens if…?" Simon stopped.

"…one of us dies?" Blair finished. Simon just nodded.

Dennis sighed. "It's hard to say. It isn't an immediate death sentence to the one left behind, but it's a life of hell. I've talked to a few people who've lost their mates and lived to tell about it. It's constant longing and loneliness and grieving, but it is possible to live on. Personally, I would choose not to." Dennis' eyes met Jeremy's, and they smiled at each other.

Simon cleaned his throat. "One last thing, and I promise to shut my big mouth."

Jeremy laughed while Dennis nodded. "Go ahead, but you know, Simon, Blair would have answered all your questions at any time. You just had to ask."

If Simon hadn't been such a dark skinned man, they would have seen him blush. "Sorry, but it's hard for me to accept and understand this kind of thing."

"No, it's okay, go ahead and ask," Dennis encouraged. "Knowledge is power."

Simon looked at his fingernails. "Are all pairs, ah, intimate?"

Dennis and Jeremy's eyes met once again, and they exchanged another affectionate glance. Blair, however, shivered, and Dennis' arm immediately drew him close. "Oh, God, Blair, I'm sorry. Here we are talking like it's just a bull session."

Blair just sighed and pressed closer to Dennis. "It's all right. Simon is willing to risk his career and maybe even his life for us. It's okay. Tell him."

Dennis nodded, rubbing Blair's arm for comfort. "Actually, Simon, it depends. And I'm not evading your question. It's really up to the Sentinel and the Guide. While it does make the bond stronger, it makes any kind of separation much harder on the pairing. If Jim and Blair hadn't decided to be lovers, even though Blair would still bonded to Jim, this would be painful but not life threatening. Something about the intimacy of sexual fulfillment brings the bond to its pinnacle of strength. Hell, I don't know why. I don't think anybody does. That's just the way it is."

Jeremy clicked the cover of the laptop closed with a satisfied grin. "There. All done. Let's do it."

With those six small words, they were on their way.

------------------------------------------------

The blue and white ambulance pulled up to the entrance at Conover at exactly 10:00 a.m. Dennis hopped out of the passenger's side and opened the back door for Simon to get out.

Dennis smiled in at Blair. "We'll be out as soon as we can. You just be patient and stay here. Okay?"

Blair nodded. "Right. Please hurry."

"Will do," Dennis said before slamming the door. Jeremy joined the pair at the back of the ambulance. "Ready?" Dennis asked. Both men nodded. "Good. Come on, then."

Dennis tucked his clipboard under his arm, and the two orderlies took up their positions behind the "doctor."

Simon suddenly stopped. "Dennis, what happens if I see that doctor from last evening? He'll recognize me immediately. We worked on a case together before, and we spoke last night for a long while."

"Now is not a good time to tell me something like that, Simon. Go back to the ambulance. Jeremy and I will handle this," Dennis instructed. At Simon's hesitation, Dennis growled, "Now, Simon, don't blow this. It's too important. We'll be fine."

Simon nodded and turned quickly before they got close enough to the entrance for anyone to notice him. Dennis and Jeremy exchanged glances. They had been together for so long they could almost read each other's thoughts. We going to do this? Hell, yes, it'll be fun!

It was amazing how smoothly everything went. Dennis scanned the area. Everybody was busy at his or her respective jobs. A bit of a ruckus was going on in one of the wards, so a lot of the orderlies were occupied. They were given access immediately with their authentic documents, and shown the way to the second floor by a bored orderly, where Jim was ready for transport.

Jeremy shook his head and bit his lip hard when he saw that Jim had been drugged into a deep stupor. Dennis met his eyes and nodded. Later. Be pissed later. Jeremy acknowledged his mate's request, and after Dennis passed along the proper forms when requested, they wheeled Jim to the elevator, down the corridor, and right out into the ambulance entrance without a single incident.

"Thank God," Jeremy muttered when Dennis popped open the back door and shoved the gurney into the waiting vehicle, bringing a smile to his Sentinel's face. Jeremy trotted around to the passenger's side, while Dennis jumped in the back with Blair. Simon grinned when Jeremy nodded and gave him the thumbs up sign, then he stepped on the gas, taking the five men as quickly away from Cascade as the legal speed limit would allow.

------------------------------------------------

"Oh shit," Blair mumbled when he saw Jim's condition. He immediately moved as close to him as the confined space would allow. He would have crawled on top of his lover if they hadn't been in the moving vehicle. Blair's hands and eyes inspected Jim from head to toe as much as he could through the hospital clothes and the straps keeping him safely on the gurney. "Dennis?" Blair said breathlessly.

Dennis quickly scanned Jim's vitals. "He's been drugged way too much. His heart rate is really slow, and his breathing is shallow, but otherwise, he's okay. It will wear off, but it's going to take a good while, probably twelve hours or more. We have to be patient."

Blair nodded while his hands rested in the center of Jim's chest. He closed his eyes and felt Jim's heart beating faintly under his palms. Blair shivered before finally putting his head on Jim's shoulder and closing his eyes. "Please, Jim, hear me. I'm here," Blair pleaded. "Jim, I love you. Please come back to me."

The vehicle hit a pothole, and Blair was thrown back. Dennis slid to the floor beside him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders to steady him.

"Simon, take it easy. We have live cargo back here," Dennis groused. Blair nodded his thanks for Dennis' arm and moved close to Jim, wrapping his arm around Jim's waist and putting a hand on the top of his head while resting his own head on the wide chest. Blair closed his eyes and concentrated, desperately trying to make the mental connection to his Sentinel.

With his eyes closed, Blair was suddenly bombarded with feelings and strange, disjointed thoughts. They crashed over him quickly, causing him to hold his breath at the assault. Dead! No! No! Stop! Help! So lost, so lost! Alone! Cold and alone! Help! Help! Black and cold! Pain! Pain! Dead!…

"Blair! Blair! What is it? Blair, answer me. Damn it, Blair, breathe. Oh, shit." Dennis' voice finally broke through. Blair gasped and sucked in air rapidly, struggling to be free of the bonds that held him. "Blair! It's Dennis. Stop! Open your eyes." Blair suddenly went limp, and his head lolled back. Dennis pulled him close and looked into the worried eyes of his lover.

"What the hell was that?" Jeremy asked in a surprised voice, and Simon whipped his head back and forth, trying to keep an eye on the road and watch Blair at the same time.

Dennis shook his head while he wiped back the mess of hair from Blair's face. "I have no idea. Blair, come on, buddy, wake up for me."

Blair moaned and shuddered and finally opened his eyes. Dennis smiled down at him. "Hey, there. You okay?"

Blair nodded, trying to sit up. Dennis held him firmly. "Whoa. Wait just a second. Take it easy. Breathe nice and steady. Damn it, Blair, what the hell happened? You stopped breathing."

Simon turned and spoke quickly before turning back to the road. "In the hospital, Sandburg stopped breathing several times. They had no idea why. I've been scared since we left there that it would happen again."

"It's okay now," Dennis said while he helped Blair sit up. "Better?"

Blair nodded. "Yeah, but I'm getting really tired of fainting at the drop of a hat." He reached for his partner, but Dennis held him back. Blair tried to twist out of his grasp. "Let me go!"

"Blair, wait. I need you to tell me what happened. Please, we have to do this right if we want to help Jim. What did you see? What did you feel?"

Blair shivered and closed his eyes. "It was so awful. It was cold and dark, and I was so alone. I was screaming for help, and no one would help me. Everything was dead, everything." Blair's eyes met Dennis'. "Oh, God, it was Jim! I felt him." Blair grabbed Dennis' sleeve. "Did he feel me? No. No, he didn't. Dead, everything was dead. I'm dead." Blair's face paled. "Dennis, he thinks I'm dead, just like I thought he was when I woke up in the hospital. I couldn't 'feel' Jim. Our connection was gone. He thinks I'm dead."

Dennis pulled Blair close. "Shh. It's okay. We know something now. We know that you can connect with Jim on some level. That's very good. Once the drugs are gone, there's more of a chance. He's too far gone right now to make any kind of sense. His brain is fried with that crap in his system."

Blair shook his head. "But why now? At the hospital yesterday, I couldn't connect to him. I tried and tried for a lot longer than I did now, so why now?" Blair thought for barely a second before his head came up, and his face registered surprise. "Oh, that's it!"

Jeremy was just too curious to let that go for more than a heartbeat. "What's it?"

"It's you, Dennis!" Blair exclaimed excitedly. "It's you. You and I. We connected. You're a Sentinel. Jim is a Sentinel. It must be you, not me. Go ahead, please, Dennis. Touch him. See if you can connect."

Dennis looked skeptical. "Nah, I don't think so."

Jeremy chimed in, "Go on, Den, try it. It's okay. I'm right here."

"Wait," Blair said. "Switch places with me so Jeremy can touch you. It will center your senses. Please, Dennis, please try."

Dennis was still shaking his head when he and Blair changed places, and Jeremy placed a hand on Dennis' shoulder. Dennis put one hand on Jim's chest and another on his forehead. He closed his eyes, concentrating. Blair waited expectantly, but after more than five minutes, nothing happened. Dennis muttered and changed positions several times, moving his hands to other spots on Jim's body. He finally gave up.

"Nothing, Blair. Not a twinge. Not a feeling or an image of any kind. I'm sorry." Dennis frowned.

Blair sighed and hung his head for a minute before he looked up and said, "Oh, shit, Dennis. It wasn't you! But it wasn't me either, it was both of us."

Dennis cocked his head. "You might be right. I wonder why that is. Whoever blocked his senses and tried to make you sick didn't ever figure that you would bring in another Sentinel to help with Jim's senses. While his spell interferes with your abilities and mine individually, both of us together must have enough energy to break though."

Blair practically bounced in excitement. "And if you and Jeremy are both touching me, maybe it will be even more powerful. And once the drugs have worn off, that might make even more of a difference." Blair turned back to his lover. "It's okay, Jim. We'll be together soon. I promise. One way or another, Jim." Blair leaned over and tenderly kissed the unresponsive lips, then sat quietly, biding his time until he could reconnect with his Sentinel.

------------------------------------------------

Jeremy turned to his mate and said, "Hey, Dennis, give me that case. I'd better take care of those security tapes."

Dennis nodded, hanging him the case that had been stowed in the corner of the ambulance. Jeremy once again powered up the wireless connection.

Simon watched him from the corner of his eye. "What are you doing now?"

Jeremy never looked up as he explained, "I'm playing with the security tapes at Conover. When they realize Jim's been taken by unauthorized people, they're going to play the tapes first thing. I don't want them to see us, of course." Jeremy's fingers flew over the keyboard. "Ha. There." More taps on the keys. "Got that one, too." Jeremy hummed a bit as he worked. Fifteen minutes later, he snapped the cover closed and set the laptop on the floorboard at his feet. "All done. Man, that was easy. Either that, or I'm just good."

Dennis snorted. "Smart ass." They exchanged affectionate glances.

Simon cleared his throat. "Excuse me for asking, but just what the hell is it that you two do, anyway?"

Jeremy chuckled. "Well, Captain, I'd be happy to tell you, but it's classified. You know what that means, don't you? After I tell you…" He shrugged.

Simon interrupted with a smirk. "You'd have to kill me. Right?"

Jeremy smiled. "Right. Smart man."

Dennis chimed in. "Simon, since you have the trust of Jim and Blair, I can tell you this. If you've seen The X-Files and heard about all those secret government agencies that even Congress and the President are unaware of, then you know for whom we work. Anything more, and I really would have to kill you." Dennis laughed softly.

Simon just shook his head and shut up.

------------------------------------------------

Seven hours later, a large brown van was driven into a wooden gray-slated barn set at the edge of a tall stand of trees. The men had ditched the ambulance about an hour out of Cascade and transferred everything to the brown van. The turn off the main highway was made more than thirty miles before. No one would find them this far from Cascade, in the remote southeast corner of Washington. The farmhouse Dennis had acquired using the name of one of the many holding companies at his disposal had been unused for several years, and the nearest neighbors were more than five miles away. This spot was perfect.

First things first. Jim was carried into the house and settled on the pullout sofa in the middle of the living room. Even though the farmhouse had an upper floor with several bedrooms, Blair had insisted that they all remain close to each other. He felt that everyone together would create more of a bond for Jim to feel. Blair also wanted to create a stronger force of protection around Jim while he was in his present condition. Dennis and Jeremy agreed, adding that it was easier to protect everyone if they all stayed close.

While they were making Jim comfortable, Blair asked Dennis, "What are we going to do about feeding him? He needs to eat, and he's going to be dehydrated if we can't get liquids in him, but I don't think he can eat on his own."

Dennis put a hand on Blair's shoulder. "I've brought an IV setup if we need it. If we can't get him to come around in the next twelve hours, we'll have to feed him intravenously. I've also brought several cases of Pedialyte. If we can get him to drink even that, it will keep him going until he's recovered enough to eat." Blair nodded, watching Jim closely. "Blair, I want you to eat, too. None of this martyr stuff. We're going to save him, no matter what, but I expect you to take care of yourself also."

Blair throat closed, and he blinked rapidly, nodding hastily. "Okay, Dennis. No matter what," he whispered. Dennis patted his shoulder and left to help Simon and Jeremy bring in the rest of the supplies and to power up the portable generator so they would have electricity and running water.

------------------------------------------------

A light tap on Blair's shoulder woke him several hours later. It was dark, and the light from one small lamp cast a warm glow in the room. Simon leaned over the extended sofa where Blair had fallen asleep wrapped around his lover who was, unfortunately, still in the same condition as earlier in the day.

"Come on, Blair, Dennis said you promised to eat. Go into the kitchen and have some supper." Blair started to protest, but Simon waved a finger in his face. "No arguments. I'll stay with Jim until you come back. Believe me, we're not leaving him alone for even one minute."

"Okay, Simon," Blair said and left quietly after a quick kiss to Jim's forehead. Once he made his way into the kitchen, an incredible feeling of sadness crept over him. He stopped and held onto the countertop, swaying slightly. Dennis came up behind him and put his hands on Blair's shoulders. The feeling became magnified many times the second Dennis touched him.

"Jim!" Blair called, turning to head back into the front room. A strong arm slid around his waist.

"Hey, Blair, we had a deal. You need to eat."

"But, Dennis, I felt something. Please, we have to try and reach Jim. Now," Blair insisted.

"Blair, I felt it too, but you're still weak, and you need to regain your strength before we try anything. The quicker you eat, the faster we can go and try to reach Jim."

Blair glanced at Dennis through his lashes. "Are you sure you're the Sentinel and not the Guide?"

Dennis chuckled. "Oh, right, I forgot. Only Guides can manipulate and obfuscate their way around a Sentinel."

"Hell, yes, man. It's in the Guide rule book," Blair answered smartly. Dennis batted the back of Blair's head. "Hey!" Blair quipped. "Sentinels," he added affectionately, "they're all alike."

Jeremy came into the room and stood behind his Sentinel, sliding his arms around Dennis' waist and placing a warm kiss on the back of his neck. Dennis leaned back into his lover's arms, muttering "mmmmm" at the pleasure of his Guide's touch. Blair smiled at the love flowing between the pair.

Soon, Jim. Soon. You and I, Jim. Very soon we'll be together. Blair thought without one trace of jealousy. Hear me, Jim. I'm right here. He ate his dinner quickly, eager to connect with his lover once again.

------------------------------------------------

Blair sat cross-legged on the bed with his hands on Jim's chest. Jeremy sat next to Blair with a hand on Jim's leg, and Dennis sat on Jim's other side, placing his hands on top of Blair's. Simon hovered in the background, assigned the task of making sure no one zoned or passed out and fell over while they were trying to reach Jim.

"Everybody ready?" Blair asked softly. Dennis and Jeremy nodded.

Simon said, "I'm here," from behind Blair's left shoulder.

"Good. Let's do this."

Blair closed his eyes and spoke in a low and steady voice, "Concentrate on Jim. Reach into his mind. Connect. Feel Jim's body. Listen to his breathing. Hear his heartbeat. Concentrate…"

Blair involuntarily shivered and held his breath at the cold. His teeth chattered, and he shivered violently once again.

Cold! Deaddeaddead! Help! Let go! Help! Pain! Much pain! Stop! Pleasepleaseplease!

Jim!! Jim!! Hear me, please! Jim, please! Give me your hand. Jim! It's Blair. Please, Jim, please! Blair! I'm here! Reach out, Jim! Concentrate! Focus! Jim, I'm here!

No! Dead! Blair dead! Pain! Black! No! Go away!

Jim, I'm not dead! I'm right here! Listen to me! Listen! Concentrate! Believe!

Blair? NO! Trick! Evil! Black! Cold! So cold!

Jim, try for me, please. I'm not dead. Blair is not dead! Evil did this. Please, Jim, focus. Think. Remember. Blair is not dead!

Blair? Is that you, Blair? Where are you? My Blair?

I'm here, Jim. Yes, Jim, your Blair. My Jim. I'm right next to you. Our minds are touching. Do you understand?

Blair? Blair? Not dead? Blair, you're not dead?

That's right, Jim, I'm not dead. Listen to me, Jim. I love you. I'm not dead.

Trick. It's a trick. The pain hurts!

Jim, I swear. I'm not dead. I'm here with you. You're just lost, Jim. We're going to find you. I swear we will.

We? Who? Why can't I see you, smell you, touch you? Why?

Evil is controlling you. Dennis and Jeremy are here. Simon is here. We will find you. Do you believe me?

Blair? I'm so scared. Blair, please help me, pleasepleaseplease!

Jim! I need you to be calm. I need you to wait for me. Can you do that? Just be calm and think about me coming for you. Remember, I love you. I love…

Blair felt himself falling and falling, and when he opened his eyes, he was lying next to his partner. Jeremy's concerned face was just inches from his. Dennis was kneeling next to his mate. Simon sat on the other side of the bed, glass in hand. After Jeremy helped Blair scoot up against the back of the sofa, Simon passed the glass over to him.

"Here you go, Blair, drink some water." Jeremy held the glass for his friend.

Blair nodded and drained the glass. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "I talked to Jim!" he blurted out excitedly.

Jeremy grinned and nodded. "Tell us! What happened?"

Dennis moved closer. "Yes, we want to hear all of it."

Blair looked at his lover and ran a hand gently over Jim's short hair. "He's so scared, guys. He was just terrified. It took me a while to convince him that I was who I said I was. He knew without a doubt that I was dead, just like I figured. He thought it was a trick." Blair's hand stroked constantly. "Jim finally believed me. He knows I'm alive." Blair looked into the faces of his companions. "I promised him we would find him and bring him back."

Dennis spoke first, "I said we would find him and by God, we will. We won't give up. That's a promise from us."

Jeremy nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, it's a promise."

"Me, too, Sandburg," Simon chimed in. "I'll do whatever it takes to break this spell or curse or whatever the fuck it is."

Blair had to smile at his captain's resolute tone. "Thank you, all of you. I couldn't do this alone."

Jeremy added, "We don't want you to do it alone. That's why we're here."

"How do you feel?" Dennis asked.

Blair considered for a few seconds before he answered, "I feel really tired. Like the life has been drained out of me. I feel lost and alone. I feel scared and cold."

Jeremy rose from his knees. "I'm going to make tea." He disappeared through the door leading to the kitchen, returning shortly with a full tray holding hot water, teabags, sugar and powdered creme. Jeremy set the tray down on the coffee table they had moved off to one side. The others were talking quietly when he said, "Come on, everybody have some. It will make us feel better."

Dennis rolled his eyes and said to Blair and Simon, "Drink the tea, or he'll never leave us alone. He's worse than a mother hen when he's like this."

Jeremy just grinned while he fixed Blair a cup and passed it over to him, and then fixed one for himself. Simon and Dennis helped themselves, and they each took up a spot close to Jim. No one wanted to be far from the others right now. They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes enjoying the warmth of the hot beverage. Jeremy finally jumped up, set his cup down on the table and grabbed the case containing his laptop.

Simon groaned and muttered, "Now what?"

Jeremy grinned over at his new friend. "Captain, are you always this irritable?"

"Only when I'm committing more felonies in one day than I have in my entire life," Simon growled.

Dennis shrugged his shoulders, and Jeremy smiled as he powered up the laptop.

"Okay," Jeremy said, "let's take a look." His fingers flew and within a few minutes, he crooked a finger at his companions. "Here is the tape from today at Conover. See, here's the ambulance bay. Wait, there's the ambulance from Portland."

They all watched the screen as the ambulance with the name Hill Valley Rest Facility stenciled on the side pulled up to the same loading ramp that they had used earlier in the day. A black Cadillac also pulled up and parked next to the ambulance. An older man and a young woman disembarked from the vehicle after the driver opened the back door. A doctor in a white coat approached the couple. They could see him waving his hands in apparent agitation. The young woman turned quickly and her body language showed great irritation as she walked back over to the Cadillac. The driver hastily opened the door, and she disappeared into the interior. The older man turned to look over at the woman. He spoke to the woman and then back to the doctor. The man raised his hand, his finger pointing at the doctor. The motions clearly indicated anger to the observers. The man then turned and climbed into the Cadillac. The driver slammed the door closed. The vehicle backed out and sped away.

Jeremy rewound the tape and played it in slow motion.

Simon said, "That's the same doctor from the other night, Mendelson. He was Jim's physician."

Jeremy nodded. "Okay. How about the old man? Is this Ellison Senior?"

Blair looked at the face when Jeremy stopped the film and zoomed in on the man's features. "No, that's definitely not William Ellison."

Dennis looked puzzled. "You're absolutely sure."

Blair nodded. "Yes. You can probably find his picture on the net at his company's website if you want to verify it."

Jeremy answered, "No, we'll just isolate this guy and run a check on the databases in the country. How about the woman? You know who she is?" Jeremy once again grabbed her picture after a few quick keystrokes and enlarged the details.

Blair stared long and hard. "I'm not sure. She looks familiar, but then -- she doesn't."

Simon asked, "How about from one of Jim's old cases? An old girlfriend?" Simon stared intently at the woman's image. "You know, Sandburg, she does look familiar."

Jeremy nodded. "First thing, let's run her picture through the Cascade PD files."

"Oh, great," Simon said under his breath. Watching closely as Jeremy accessed the Cascade PD files and ran a comparison of the woman's picture through the database, Simon tried to figure out why the woman's face seemed so familiar.

Jeremy tried every government and private agency he could possibly think of, but no matches were revealed. "Well, let's concentrate on the guy for a minute. Let's find out who he is and work from there. That might lead us to her identity."

"Good idea, Jeremy," Dennis said, placing a hand on Jeremy's shoulder. "You're tired," he stated.

Jeremy shrugged. "I'll sleep later."

With Blair watching over his shoulder, Jeremy worked on identifying the man who was masquerading as William Ellison. Dennis and Simon went to pull a couple of mattresses from the beds upstairs and dragged them down into the living room. Dennis found some bedding and tossed it onto the mattresses, and he and Simon hastily made up sleeping quarters.

"There he is!" Jeremy shouted after fifteen minutes of searching. Simon and Dennis joined Blair and Jeremy. They looked at the photograph while Jeremy read the pertinent parts out loud. "Nathan Broadhurst, age 72, Cascade, Washington. Multi-millionaire. Owns several large companies in and around Cascade as well as construction companies, lumber mills, and the mall on Kennington Avenue."

Blair pointed out excitedly, "Hey, listen to this. Wife of forty years, Angela, deceased. Died 1996 of medical complications following a long confinement for a mental illness at Conover." Blair sat back, suddenly quiet.

Simon thought out loud, "So that's Nathan Broadhurst. When I came to Cascade I heard stories about him, but by that time his wife was already in Conover. He had become a recluse. I remember hearing stories about his devotion to his wife. He spent all his time and a lot of his resources trying to find a cure for her mental illness, but nothing helped."

Dennis and Jeremy exchanged glances. Dennis said, "What is going on? None of this makes any sense. What does Nathan Broadhurst want with Jim? And why would he willingly lie and say he was William Ellison? This just gets weirder and weirder."

Blair leapt up and shouted, "Oh, fuck!" startling the three men. Jeremy almost dropped his laptop, and Dennis clamped his hands over his ears. Simon just glared. Blair was immediately contrite. "Oh, God, Dennis, I'm sorry. I forgot. Are you okay?" Blair put a hand on Dennis' shoulder.

Dennis shook his head to clear it and ran a finger around the inside of his right ear, looking up at Blair. "Yeah, I'll be okay. Just remember to warn a guy before you try to break his eardrums next time."

Blair blushed deep red. "Shit, I'm sorry. Nothing is going right. I don't know what the hell I'm doing anymore."

Dennis rose and clamped a hand on Blair's shoulder. "Blair, if I didn't know that all this depressing talk had something to do with what's happening to you and Jim, I'd kick your ass right about now." He pulled Blair into a quick hug and patted his back. "You'll be okay. I promise. Now tell us what had you screaming just a minute ago."

If Blair hadn't been so tired, he would have bounced on his toes. "Veronica Sarris."

Simon barked, "What?"

Jeremy and Dennis chimed in, "Who?"

Blair nodded adamantly. "Veronica Sarris. It all makes sense. Well, almost all of it. Listen, after she killed those people, she was locked up in Conover. You remember that, Simon?"

Dennis threw up his hands. "Whoa! Slow down. Start at the beginning. I'm totally lost here. You know this woman?"

"Yeah, I think so. The first case I ever worked on with Jim was when she was planting bombs and sending Jim e-mails, taunting him to catch her. She was a bomb expert from the army and had been discharged because of mental instability. Jim and her father were on the mission together that stranded Jim in Peru. Her father was killed, and she blamed Jim for it. She set bombs all over Washington, daring Jim to find them before people were killed. It was one big game to her.

"Jim's abilities were wacko big time, and he met me. I helped him on this case, and we caught her when she set a bomb on a bus full of tourists on an overpass. Guys, she heard me when I told Jim to 'listen' for the bomb, not to look for it." Blair stopped to take a breath.

Simon shook his head. "But, Sandburg, why would that let her know Jim is a Sentinel? And why doesn't she look like she did before?"

"Lots of reasons, Simon. There was my press conference. Jim and I were in all the papers and on television. She had access to everything, even locked up in Conover. She's mentally ill. Simon, there's a theory that some mental illness is actually psychic ability or a sixth sense. Just because a person hears voices doesn't mean they really can't hear voices. Look at Jim. If his hearing is open, he hears voices. That would make any untrained or unaware Sentinel nuts." Blair continued to think out loud. "Can you imagine if she's a Sentinel? The smells, the sights, the sounds. No wonder she would have been diagnosed as mentally ill."

Jeremy's fingers never stopped while Blair was explaining. Dennis watched Jeremy and listened to Blair at the same time. "Ah, ha!" Jeremy shouted. Everyone turned to look at him.

Dennis shook his head and said with fond exasperation, "Just tell us, Mr. Wizard."

Jeremy chuckled. "Okay, I took the picture of Veronica's face and ran it through a matching program. Even with plastic surgery, it takes mathematical calculations of a person's features -- their bone struction, things like that -- and compares them to photographs in whatever database I designate. Then I ran that through all the criminal databases and… voila! It does match Veronica Sarris. But get this; I checked her file at Conover. She's listed as deceased."

Blair snorted in disbelief. "What? How can it be if the picture matches, and she was alive this afternoon, or yesterday, or -- whatever?"

Jeremy tapped the keyboard restlessly, relaying information. "It says here that there was a fire in one of the wings in 1998. Three inmates were killed. Her body was positively identified, but listen to this, it says that there was no autopsy. She was identified from the remains of clothing and jewelry, and from a tattoo on her leg. Since the body was readily identified from these items, and even though the facial features were burnt too badly to be recognized, there was no doubt as to her identity at that time." Jeremy looked around at his companions. "Seems the lady had some way of replacing herself with a dead body. Damn, I bet she killed whoever the other woman was and set the fire herself."

"And just how did someone incarcerated in a high security facility such as Conover do all this finagling?" Simon asked.

Dennis looked deadly serious when he said, "With outside help, of course."

"And someone with lots of money," Blair added.

Jeremy grinned. "Right!"

Simon shook his head. "Wait just a darned second. You expect me to believe that Broadhurst helped Sarris kill a woman, sprung her from the mental hospital, provided her with plastic surgery, helped her put some sort of a spell or curse on Jim and Blair, and tried to snatch Jim. That is some story. But the big question is why?"

Blair said, "Revenge, of course. She vowed revenge."

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"Come on, Blair, lie down and sleep. You look exhausted. You need to sleep, " Dennis said firmly.

"He's right, Sandburg," Simon added, "You need to rest. You're our only link to Jim, and that connection took a lot out of you. Besides, you're still not fully recovered from -- all of this."

Blair sat down and sighed. "I'm not tired," he protested, while Dennis' firm touch pushed him down beside Jim. He continued to protest even while his eyes slowly closed. "I'm not," he insisted again. In seconds, he was fast asleep.

Simon covered him with a blanket and looked at Jim, putting his hand on his forehead. "Dennis, now what?"

"Well, first, we need to get some fluids into Jim before he dehydrates any more. I sense his body's need for sustenance. I'm going to set up the IV that I brought."

Simon looked doubtful. "You sure you know what you're doing?"

Dennis smiled. "Yes, Captain, I'm sure I know what I'm doing. I have a medical degree."

"Really?" Simon asked skeptically.

"Captain, do you think I'd lie to you?"

Simon scoffed. "That would be a yes."

Dennis chuckled. "Smart man. But not about this." He retrieved a duffel bag from the corner of the room and, within just a few minutes, had Jim set up with an intravenous drip. Dennis sat next to his friend, scanning his vitals.

Jeremy stood next to his lover with a hand on his shoulder. Dennis leaned against him, resting lightly. "You smell… terrible," Dennis said, laughing quietly. Jeremy looked down and shrugged at his Sentinel.

"You're not exactly a bed of roses, and I don't need Sentinel senses to tell."

"Shower?" Dennis offered. Jeremy smiled and nodded.

"Get some sleep, Simon. We'll be right down the hall if you need us."

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Dennis woke a couple of hours after he and Jeremy went to sleep. He rose to replace the IV solution with a new one, scanning Jim's vitals while he made the transfer. Some small nuance in Jim's body caught his attention. Carefully, he paused in his task to once again let his senses focus on Jim. He concentrated and was successful in his examination when he noticed a slight change in Jim's drugged state. His body definitely signaled his attempts to resurface from the effects of the tranquilizers. Dennis lifted Jim's eyelid and checked his response before he sighed, shaking his head. Jim was trying to fight the drugs, Dennis knew, but apparently, he was under the control of whatever had sent him into the condition in the first place. Dennis placed his hand on Jim's chest, feeling the heart beating and the blood flowing. "Come on, Jim, work with me here. Try, try to wake up." Dennis pleased, Sentinel soft. With a final pat to his chest, he rejoined his lover on their pallet and tried to catch a bit more sleep before morning.

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Blair Sandburg sat up with a loud gasp when he heard Jim Ellison moan. Dennis reacted immediately and jumped to his feet, cocking his pistol while he rose.

"Blair, what's wrong?" he hissed quietly, trying not to wake their companions.

"Dennis, it's Jim!" Blair whispered excitedly. "I heard him moan just now." Kneeling on the floor next to Jim's side, he put his hands on Jim's chest. "Come on, Jim, wake up. Please, Jim."

Dennis moved to the opposite side of the bed and knelt on the floor, placing his hands on top of Blair's. He added his pleas to Blair's. "Ellison, this is an order. Wake up now. Come on, my friend."

Blair continued his entreaties. "Please, Jim. I'm waiting for you. I'm right here, waiting. Wake up for me."

By now, Simon and Jeremy heard Blair and Dennis' appeals to Jim, and they had joined them, watching hopefully.

Dennis said, "Jeremy, take out that IV needle and put a bandage on his hand, please. I don't want him to accidentally hurt himself on it."

Jeremy nodded and moved quickly to extract the needle, swab the site and bandage it. Then they all waited hopefully for some response from their friend.

Blair's anxiety mounted. "It's been almost eighteen hours since he was given that crap. He should have started to wake up by now!"

Dennis nodded. "I know, but good news. I can sense the changes. He's trying to come out of it. But that doesn’t mean he's going to respond to us. You know that, don't you, Blair?"

"No way, man. He's going to wake up. I just know it," Blair said stubbornly. He no sooner spoke the words than Jim moved his hand and groaned as if he were in pain. "See! I told you he was waking up. Come on, Jim, please!"

After what seemed like an eternity to the anxious Guide, Jim's eyes fluttered open. He sighed and licked his lips. Blair felt the tears prickle his own eyes, and he wiped his nose with the back of his hand. "Jim, look at me, please." Blair put a hand on either side of Jim's face, but Jim's eyes did not look focus on Blair nor did he respond to the sound of his lover's voice. Blair put his head down on Jim's chest and muttered, "Oh, crap, not again."

"Blair, try again. Come on, don't give up," Dennis insisted.

Blair raised his head and nodded. He shook himself once and sat up, placing one hand on Jim's forehead and the other under his shirt directly on his chest. Dennis put a hand on top of Blair's, and Jeremy put his hands on Dennis' shoulders.

Blair concentrated intently.

Hello, Jim. It's Blair. I'm right here. Talk to me.

Blair watched Jim's face intently. Jim's eyes blinked several times, and he looked like he was trying to see.

Blair? I can't see you! Why can't I see you? I can feel your voice, but I can't hear you. Blair?

Jim, I'm right next to you. Can you move? Move your hand for me.

Jim wiggled the fingers on his right hand. Blair grinned at his companions. "I asked Jim to move his hand if he could. He can't hear me but he can feel my voice, he says!"

Dennis nodded while Jeremy smiled.

Simon choked up just a bit and patted Blair's back. "Good job, Sandburg."

Simon!

What, Jim? You heard Simon?

Yes! Where is he? Simon!

"Simon! Talk to Jim. He can hear you!" Blair said excitedly.

"What?" Simon said incredulously. "Really?"

Simon? Please help me. Simon? I want to see Blair.

Blair said, "Talk to him, Simon. He says he wants to see me. Tell him what's happening."

Dennis and Jeremy were quiet so as not to break Blair's concentration and to keep the connection as strong as possible. Simon sat on the edge of the bed and touched Jim's leg.

"Jim, listen to me. It's Simon. You can't tell Blair is here because someone is blocking your senses. They were blocked totally for three days. I'm the first one you've been able to connect with. Blair is okay. Dennis Marshall and Jeremy Rogers are here helping him. They've been able to help establish a link. Do you understand me so far?"

Yes! Keep talking, Simon. It's so cold and dark here. I'm scared. Please get me out of here!

Blair relayed, "Simon, he says he hears you and to please keep talking. He says it's cold and dark, and he's scared. He wants you to get him out."

Simon patted Jim's leg. "Just give us some time, Jim. We think we have a handle on who's doing this. We don't know how yet, but we're not leaving you. Do you understand? We are not leaving you alone. If you feel alone, just remember, the four of us will not leave you alone, not even for one minute. Okay?"

Yes, Simon, I understand. Thank you. Hurry, please.

"He says he understands and says thanks and to please hurry," Blair said.

Simon patted Jim's leg again. "Okay, Jim. You just hold onto that."

Jim's chest rose and fell quickly several times, and Blair could see he struggled to speak. His hand rose and reached out. Blair grabbed it but there was no response when he tried to hold onto Jim's fingers. Simon wasn't even thinking when he reached out and took Jim's fingers in his. He gasped with surprise when Jim's fingers wrapped around his, and he squeezed.

"Blair, he knows I'm touching him," Simon acknowledged with wide eyes.

"Yes!" Blair beamed and he "listened" to Jim once again.

Jim, can you feel Simon holding your hand?

Yes! Yes! Feels so good, so good. I'm so tired, Blair. Please!

Shhh. It's okay. I'm here. Just sleep. I'll watch over you. I promise.

Okay. Love you, love you.

I love you, Jim.

Blair watched intently when Jim sighed softly and closed his eyes. He looked at Dennis who nodded. "Good. That's really good. He's asleep, Blair. Whatever you said really helped. I sense that he's not distraught like before. He's not panicked. His vitals are much better. He knows you're here and that you'll take care of it."

Blair smoothed Jim's hair gently with his palm and kissed his forehead. "I'm here, Jim, and I'll take care of it. I promise." Blair looked at Simon gratefully. "Thank you, Simon. Thank you." Blair turned and threw his arms around the surprised captain, who just patted his back with a large hand.

"Come on, Sandburg, it's okay." Simon smiled, just a bit embarrassed at Blair's affectionate display.

Blair sat up and said solemnly, "It will be okay, or it will be the last thing I ever do."

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Blair was in the shower, and Dennis and Simon were in the kitchen when Jeremy, who was researching their two prime suspects on the net, noticed that Jim was awake. Jeremy moved to sit on the side of the bed.

"Hey, Ellison. How are you? It's Jeremy Rogers. Can you hear me?"

Jim shivered and blinked rapidly. He raised his shaking hand and rubbed his forehead. He licked his lips and struggled to speak. "Jer…?" He said breathlessly, forcing his eyes to focus on his companion.

"Yes! Come on, buddy, you can do it!" Jeremy said excitedly.

Jim nodded and tried again. "B… blair?" His tongue felt thick and heavy as he forced the word out.

"Wait. Let me get him. I'd yell, but I don't know how your hearing would react. Okay?"

"Yes," Jim whispered. He reached out a hand that Jeremy caught.

"Can you feel me?" Jeremy asked.

Their eyes met. "Yes!"

"Oh, good. I'll be right back." Jeremy jumped up and raced down the hall. "Guys! Jim's awake and talking. Come quick!"

Dennis dropped his sandwich, and Simon slapped the coffee cup on the table. They both barreled through the kitchen door, practically knocking each other over. Jeremy just grinned. "I'll get Blair," he said. Banging on the bathroom door, he called, "Blair! Come now. Jim's awake!"