#09 in the Construction series
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This is the standard disclaimer. They don't belong to me. This story is not intended to violate any copyrights held by Paramount, UPN, or Pet Fly Productions.
Author’s Notes: Thanks to Spacepixell and Loopster for beta-duty, suggestions and encouragement.
~*~*~*~
Blair stared at the calendar hanging crookedly on the wall above his bed. The number fourteen stood out boldly, practically in 3-D, though it was not highlighted, circled, or marked in any way.
He closed his eyes, and rubbed them tiredly before returning his attention to the open book he held in front of his face. He read the opening paragraph to chapter ten of Sociology: An Introduction for the fifth time, and it made just as little sense as the first four times he’d read it.
He glanced at the calendar again, and the number fourteen nearly hopped off the page.
“This is ridiculous,” he muttered. “Get over it, Sandburg. Get. Over. It.”
He cleared this throat, wiggled to re-settle himself comfortably on the bed, and once again started to read.
“It’s only a stupid birthday,” he whispered. “Not everyone makes a big deal, or any deal, for that matter, about birthdays.”
Naomi had, though.
And that was the problem.
His birthday was the most special day of the year, she’d always told him. It was the day the world had become a better place because he was now a part of it, she’d explained to him time after time, year after year, birthday after birthday.
And he’d loved it.
It’s not like she ever threw him a typical run of the mill all American kid Chuck E Cheese clowns balloons ice cream and cake type party. It’s just that she’d always managed to somehow make it special, make him feel special.
“Geez, Sandburg,” he whined quietly, “get the hell over it.”
Jim had to know it was his birthday. He had to. Blair’s birth certificate was in with the guardianship papers; he’d seen it.
He could have mentioned it to Jim, could have dropped hints or come right out and said something. But he hadn’t wanted to seem pushy, or assuming. After all, he reminded himself once again, not everyone makes a big deal of birthdays.
And then, the day was just too near, and any mention of it on his part would have felt like he expected Jim to do something for him.
Which he didn’t.
Only he did.
But he didn’t, really.
Uncle Seth had at least acknowledged that his birthday was imminent, sort of.
Blair sighed as he remembered the phone call from two nights earlier. The promised card with a modest sized check tucked inside had arrived the next day, with Seth’s best wishes for Blair to have a great day along with apologies for not being able to get to Cascade to celebrate with his nephew.
Blair didn’t tell Jim Seth had called; didn’t show him the card.
So it was really no one’s fault but his own.
Blair tossed the book aside, and turned onto his side, away from the wall with the calendar. He exhaled a long drawn out ‘grrrrrr’, smacked his pillow a few times, settled his head into the resulting pocket, and curled up.
Jim had plans with Simon today, the fourteenth, Blair’s birthday. Plans he’d made months ago. Every year the two men went to the big indoor sportsmen show at the convention center where, Jim had explained with an innocent grin, they spent too much money and ate too much junk food.
So, Blair had made plans with Cody.
He was going to meet up with his friend at the library, and help him with an overdue essay.
Maybe grab some pizza.
Whoop-dee-doo.
So birthdays were no big deal to Jim…probably an Ellison thing.
Okay.
No problem.
He could live with that.
Go with the flow, he thought sadly as one hand idly made gentle loop de loop motions through the air.
“Hey kiddo,” Jim said as he leaned up against the doorjamb.
Blair pulled himself to a sitting position before answering. “Hey.”
“I’m about ready to head out.” Jim tilted his head toward the front door.
Blair opened his mouth, hesitated momentarily, and then said, with as much light-heartedness as he could muster, “Have fun, and try not too eat too much garbage.”
Saying anything about it being his birthday at this point would just be pathetic.
“You got it, Chief,” Jim answered with a mock salute. “You and Cody have fun.”
“Right,” Blair answered with a snort.
“And, hey,” Jim started, giving Blair an odd look, then stopped.
“What?” Blair asked expectantly.
Jim paused, then shrugged. “Nuthin’.” He grinned at Blair and turned to leave. “See ya later.”
Blair slumped back down onto his bed as he heard the front door close.
So that was it then.
Birthdays in the Ellison household…no big deal.
No deal at all.
Blair swallowed past a small lump in his throat.
~*~*~*~
The grin slipped from Jim’s face as he jogged down the steps, pulling out his cell phone on the way. He checked his watch and then dialed.
“Simon? It’s Jim…I’m just leaving…Nope, he doesn’t suspect a thing…Is Seth with you? What about the rest of the team?” Jim chuckled. “I know it’s not an undercover mission,” he responded to Simon’s snide comment, “…it’s more like covert ops. You have no idea how hard it’s been keeping this little mission a secret.” Jim laughed a little harder as he climbed into his truck. “Let’s synchronize our watches. I’ll rendezvous with you at the designated co-ordinates---,” he smiled broadly as Simon told him to knock it off.
“We’re go for Operation Birthday Surprise,” he added quickly, getting in the last word.
Jim flipped the phone shut, backed up the truck and eased into the Saturday afternoon traffic on Prospect, heading east. He tapped his fingers against the steering wheel, feeling inordinately pleased with himself. He and Seth had been plotting and planning for weeks, and Jim hadn’t been kidding when he said keeping a secret from Blair was no easy task. The kid was a natural born observer; almost nothing escaped his attention. And once something grabbed his interest or piqued his curiosity, Blair was like one of those damn annoying little rat terriers, the kind that latch on to your pants leg and won’t let go.
Jim’s mouth curled into a satisfied smirk. Blair had no idea anything was up.
Jim had thought it kind of odd that Blair had never brought up the subject of his birthday. Most kids his age would’ve been talking about it for weeks prior, making sure everyone knew, coming up with gift wish lists. But then, Jim reminded himself, Blair wasn’t exactly like other kids. He’d had a different sort of childhood, traveling around, not staying in one place too long. The little he knew about Naomi told Jim she’d been pretty unconventional. Maybe she never made a big deal about Blair’s birthday, the material aspect of it.
Well, that was about to change. Jim was going all out to show the kid his birthday was definitely something to celebrate.
Cody would keep Blair occupied for a few hours while Jim and his team got everything set up and ready to go. He’d reserved a field at the Splat Attack paintball complex along with one of their large indoor party rooms. Henri Brown was in seventh heaven.
Everyone not on duty from Major Crimes was coming, along with Joel Taggart and a few other officers from around the precinct. All of the Sorry Excuses were planning on showing up, and a large contingent of kids from Ranier was also going to be there. Quite an unusual mix of people, friends and family…but then, it was Blair.
The only hitch had come when Seth told Jim what he’d gotten Blair for a present. Jim felt a laptop was a bit extravagant, and tried to talk him into something else. Seth had insisted, stating it was a one time bit of overindulgence to make up for years and years of missing out on Blair’s birthday. He assured Jim that future birthday presents would revert to the more mundane variety such as CD’s or books. Jim had let up then, seeing the look on Seth’s face.
Jim allowed himself to relax as he drove toward the outskirts of Cascade. Just a few more hours…he couldn’t wait to see the look on Blair’s face.
~*~*~*~
Cody had seemed a little pre-occupied all afternoon, which was starting to annoy Blair. Here he was, on his birthday, in the library helping Cody with a really easy assignment, and his friend acted as if he wanted to be elsewhere. Cody kept looking at his watch, then glancing at the clock on the wall, and just generally fidgeting. His attention span was limited at the best of times, and it was becoming obvious to Blair his pal’s mind was not on the task at hand.
Blair let his own mind wander. If Naomi had still been alive, she’d be here in Cascade for his birthday. She’d promised him she’d return, as long as he didn’t think he was too old to spend his birthday with his mom, she’d teased. They’d talked about going out to the Olympic Peninsula, visiting the rain forest, or maybe going on a whale-watching excursion.
Thoughts of birthdays past…sometimes spent only with his mom, others spent with the commune families they’d lived with or friends in far off places…crept into his mind. And he suddenly didn’t feel like wasting his birthday in the library with Cody.
Blair gathered up the few books he’d brought and stuffed them in his backpack. Cody didn’t notice; he was still staring at the clock, tapping his pencil impatiently against the tabletop.
“Hey, man,” Blair whispered, nudging Cody’s shoulder. When Cody looked his way, Blair continued. “Look, you obviously want to be somewhere else. We’re getting nowhere on this essay. I’m outta here.” Blair turned and walked away.
“Wait!” Cody shouted as he stood abruptly. The chair he’d been perched on fell backward. Several students shot him dirty looks and one of the librarians headed his way. He scrambled to gather his notebooks, pencils and texts and succeeded in scattering them across the table. “Blaaa-aair,” he hissed, while grabbing for the items, “wait up, man.”
Blair kept on going, sending up a hand-signaled wave without looking back.
By this time the librarian had reached Cody and was trying to find out what the commotion was. She blocked his path, preventing him from following Blair, insisting he right the chair and stop disturbing the other students.
Cody looked past her and growled in frustration, as Blair disappeared through the door on the far side of the room. He rested his butt against the table and ran his hands through his hair.
“Detective Ellison is gonna kill me,” he muttered.
~*~*~*~
Blair walked a short distance from campus, to a small florist shop. He purchased an inexpensive bouquet of flowers. Then he hurried to the nearest bus stop. He waited about ten minutes for the bus he wanted, the one headed west out toward the ocean. He rode it to the end of the line, hopped off and walked six blocks to a small public park. Blair meandered through the gardens and across a deserted baseball diamond, until he came to a path leading into the woods. He followed the path, walking slowly, as he breathed in the smell of pine and saltwater.
The path ended at a fenced off overlook, right at the edge of a cliff. The ocean stretched out in front of him, green-blue and churning, reflecting his own tumultuous mood. He rested his forearms on the top fence rail. The old wooden barricade wobbled a little, shaky and unstable from neglect. Blair eased his weight off, taking half a step back.
He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, clearing his thoughts, cleansing his mind. There was a strong breeze coming off the ocean and his hair whipped about, first lashing his cheeks, then streaming out behind.
“Today is the most special day of the year,” he said aloud as he opened his eyes and fixed his gaze out onto the horizon. “The world is a better place because I’m a part of it now,” he stated firmly, hoping it was true, believing his mother’s gift of giving him life was truly the most special gift he’d ever receive, ever need.
Blair clasped the bouquet of Naomi’s favorite blooms to his chest, crushing the delicate petals. Then he tossed them over the edge of the cliff and watched as they drifted down and landed on the water with a silent wish.
Naomi’s child smiled as he thought of his mother, and Jim, and how things change, but forever stay the same. He wandered about the open expanse of the overlook for a bit, enjoying the solitude. Then he found a patch of grass under a tall pine and sat down at the old tree’s base, cross-legged. He leaned into his mother’s embrace, closed his eyes and with a wistful smile, dreamed of how he might change the way birthdays were observed in the Ellison household.
~*~*~*~
Jim stared at Cody, shaking his head in disbelief. He glanced around at the balloons, the huge banner strung across the ceiling, the tables filled with food and presents, and at the expectant faces of the guests…loads of guests.
It was a huge turnout, as good as he’d hoped. Everyone was poised and ready with paint guns, ready to hurry outside at the arranged signal and launch a sneak attack on the unsuspecting birthday boy.
And now the guest of honor had decided to give Jim’s accomplice the slip.
Jim pulled out his cell phone and hit the speed dial for Blair’s phone. He listened as it rang and rang before Blair’s cheery voice message kicked in, asking the caller to leave a message and he’d get back to them as soon as possible. And, oh, if it was Jim, chill out big guy, just because he wasn’t answering his phone didn’t mean he wasn’t okay.
Jim left a message, trying to sound casual, for Blair to call him as soon as he could.
“Did he have his phone with him?” Jim asked Cody.
Cody nodded his head. “Yeah, he did,” he answered. “But you’ve got to turn them off in the library. I watched him do it and put it in his pocket. I bet he didn’t think to turn it back on, that’s all.”
“And he didn’t say where he was going? You’re sure?’ Jim asked for the third time.
“I’m sure,” Cody responded, feeling awful. “Geez, detective, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault, kid,” Jim said as he patted Cody’s back.
Jim faced the guests and cleared his throat.
“Just a little delay, folks,” he announced in a loud voice. “Blair’ll turn up soon. He always calls if there’s a change in his schedule. I’m sure it’ll occur to him any minute and he’ll call.” At least he’d better, Jim thought to himself. “There’s plenty of food and drink, and the paintball field is ours for the next four hours, so please,” Jim gestured with his hands, waving across the room, “help yourselves and have fun.”
Jim sat at one of the festively decorated tables and started tracing the colored designs of the paper tablecloth with his fingertips. Seth and Simon, with an extra beer in hand, joined him. The three men sulked together as they drank their beers and traded stories about life in general and Blair in particular.
After about an hour, Jim’s phone rang. He grabbed it and popped it open so fast; it was lucky he didn’t snap the cover off.
“Jim, man? Change in plans here, thought I better call. Totally didn’t realize my phone was still off and Cody’s probably been trying to get hold of me. I kinda left him stranded at the library, but, man, he was being such a doofus, you wouldn’t believe it. And---,” Blair voice came pouring over the phone.
“Whoa, whoa, Junior, slow down,” Jim advised with a chuckle. He gave Seth and Simon a thumbs-up and his friends immediately grinned.
“Oh, yeah, right,” Blair answered. “Sorry, man. Anyway, I was wondering if you’re almost done at the convention center? I kinda need a ride, don’t have change for the bus and I left my pass at home cos I’d planned on bumming a ride with Cody, which of course wouldn’t be a problem if you’d just lighten up on the car restriction, man,” Blair rambled.
“Come up for air, Blair,” Jim cautioned. “And about the car?
Nice try.” Jim laughed as the sound of Blair rolling his eyes danced over the
phone line. “Tell me where you are and I’ll head out.”
”You sure, man, cos I don’t wanna mess up your plans?” Blair asked.
Jim thought he detected a hint of something more than just wanting a ride in the hesitant sound of Blair’s voice.
“I’m more than sure, kiddo,” Jim assured firmly.
Jim informed everybody Blair had been located, which produced a round of applause. He quickly arranged a lookout, so when he and Blair arrived the surprise could still be sprung.
Blair was waiting for Jim as the older man pulled up to the entrance of the park. He hopped into the cab and gave Jim a dazzling smile with a hearty thank you.
Jim noticed tiny white petal fragments on the front of Blair’s shirt. He picked a few off and rolled them between his fingers, and then held them to his nose, sniffing.
“Flowers?” he questioned, his nose wrinkling as he tried not to sneeze.
“Wow, no wonder you’re a detective, not to mention a sentinel,” Blair quipped with an awed look on his face.
“Ha, ha,” Jim retorted but before he could add to his witty comeback, Blair interrupted.
“Can I tell you something Jim?” Blair blurted out.
Jim’s heart skipped a beat as he measured the suddenly increased tempo of his guide’s heart. Please, he prayed silently, don’t let the kid have done something stupid or dangerous. He really did not want what was left of the day to be spoiled.
Blair didn’t wait for Jim to give him the go ahead. “Today’s my birthday,” he stated simply. “I probably should have said something to you sooner, but, well, there’s reasons I didn’t. But they’re all pretty stupid, and the thing is? I’d really like to spend at least part of my birthday with you.” He looked at Jim hopefully. “If that’s all right, I mean.”
“We’re a pair,” Jim said as he shook his head. He reached over and squeezed Blair’s neck, and then ran his hand up along the kid’s face, tapping his cheek gently. “I’d like nothing better than to spend your birthday with you, but since you didn’t say anything about it---.”
“Oh, man, you’re kidding?” Blair laughed. “Here I thought you didn’t say anything because it was some weird ass Ellison let’s don’t make a big thing about birthdays thing.”
“Weird ass Ellison thing, huh?’ Jim questioned. He narrowed his eyes. “Have I got a surprise for you.”
“Whaddaya mean by that?” Blair asked.
But Jim just smiled and drove off, leaving the little rat terrier hanging on his pants leg, yipping and nipping all the way to the sports complex.
~*~*~*~
Four hours later, splattered with paint from head to toe, mired in presents and good wishes, and ten times more hyper than usual, Blair stood next to Jim, saying his farewells to the guests.
Soon there were only a handful of people left, all family.
Blair collapsed onto a chair. “Man! This was great!” He smiled goofily at Jim and Seth. “I can’t believe you guys did all this for me.”
“It was all Jim’s idea,” Seth admitted. “But it was a doozy, I gotta say.”
“There’s just two things left to do,” Jim said. Everyone looked at Jim as he pulled an envelope from his pocket and handed it to Blair.
“What’s this, Jim?” the kid asked suspiciously. “You’ve already done all this---,” he gestured toward the room.
“Just open it, Chief,” Jim instructed.
Blair gave Jim a curious look before tearing the envelope open. It contained a birthday card.
It was fairly standard, as cards go, with a generic ‘For Someone Special’ sentiment across the front. He opened it, and a smaller envelope slid out and onto his lap. A personal inscription, in Jim’s neat handwriting, was added above and below the pre-typed message.
‘Blair’… ‘Happy Birthday, Companion Dude…Jim’.
Blair chuckled and read the card twice before turning his attention to the smaller envelope.
Blair opened it quickly; his eyes roaming rapidly down the contents. He turned to Jim, giving him his best megawatt smile...his eyes lighting up at the perfectness of Jim's gift and he pounced.
Jim was nearly knocked to the floor by the force of having an armful of Blair land against his unsuspecting chest.
“Thanks, Jim,” Blair enthused. “For this,” he indicated the small envelope pressed to his heart. “For everything.”
“You’re welcome, kiddo,” Jim responded with a hearty hug.
Blair’s face lit up once again in a huge grin.
“Hey, man, I thought you said there were two things left to do?” Blair glanced around, feigning an innocent look, pretending to look for another gift of some sort. “What else is there?”
Jim smiled and an evil twinkle lit his eyes.
“Oh, just the little matter of your birthday spanking,” Jim answered.
The sentinel still had a firm hold on his guide from the recent hug, and he used the advantage to pull Blair, protesting and giggling, to a nearby chair. He sat down and pulled Blair down and over his lap.
“One!” Jim pronounced as his hand landed softly on Blair’s butt.
“Two!” Seth, Joel, H, Rafe and Simon’s voices all joined in as the count continued.
Blair laughed and wiggled, howling as each gentle swat landed, yelping as if his backside was being blistered.
“Seventeen!” finally rang out, amid a chorus of ‘Happy Birthday’s’.
Jim landed one more swat, this one with a bit of sting. “And one to grow on,” he explained as Blair cried out with a startled “Ouch!”
Blair scrabbled to his feet, and rubbed his butt as if he’d just been on the receiving end of one of Jim’s real spankings.
Blair enthusiastically hugged each of his friends and family, thanking them for everything.
Jim’s gift was still pressed against his heart, and the sticky residue of the paint on his shirt trapped a few fragments of Naomi’s bouquet on the page.
Blair grinned.
It was the most special day of the year.
The End