caillech2000@yahoo.com

http://www.arkwolf.com/caillechsite/index.html

Author’s Notes: The characters of Daniel Burke, Jackson Burr, Ethan James, Ray Weston and Michael Rosien belong to Amethyst and are used in this story with her permission. The story is set in Amethyst’s Father Figure universe.

This story contains corporal punishment. Be warned.

Thanks to Loopy, Spacepixell and Rhonda for beta reading and suggestions.

%%%

Seated at their favorite table in the base commissary, the three operatives eyed each other speculatively. Half finished sodas and untouched sandwiches littered the tabletop. Shifting uncomfortably, they took turns clearing their throats as if to speak but no words were exchanged. The somber, brooding mood they exuded had quickly cleared the immediate area, leaving the room nearly empty.

Finally, Ray Weston broke the ice, attempting to lighten the mood. "That went well, don’t you think?" A comical half-smile accompanied the dry, sarcastic remark.

Ethan James snorted loudly, causing the air to literally vibrate. "Oh yeah, Ray…really well…if you like having yourself chewed a new one." He glared menacingly at the smaller man. Ray just stared back at him, unintimidated.

Jackson Burr joined in, quirking an appraising eyebrow toward his teammates. "Whadda ya suppose it’ll be?" He managed a wistful tone and far-off look. "I hear the listening post in Outer Mongolia is almost tropical this time of year."

Ray rolled his eyes.

Ethan turned his gaze to Jackson, disbelief etched on his face. "You’re kidding, right? Please say you’re kidding, Burr. You don’t think the old man was really that mad, do you?"

Jackson shrugged his shoulders, grabbed his unfinished Dr Pepper, and downed it in two gulps before answering. "I’ve only ever seen that vein in his forehead throb like that when he’s really pissed off."

"Shit."

An awkward silence once again enveloped the three men as they waited for the fourth member of their team.

%%%

Two floors down and two corridors away, Daniel Burke stood at attention, stoically enduring the final assessment of the day’s debriefing. He periodically stole a glance at the telltale vein, noting with relief that it seemed to be returning to normal.

"Three. Three…Mr. Burke. Which is exactly three times more than is acceptable. And each and every time, two names seem to crop up." The old man made a show of picking up the report and reading the names, as if he didn’t remember them without looking. "James Ellison and Blair Sandburg." He threw the report back onto the desk. "You and your team deviate from SOP on two important missions and now this little freelance escapade. Unbelievable."

"Permission to speak freely, sir?" Burke stood impassively.

The debriefing had been long and unpleasant. The feds hadn’t seemed too happy to have a covert ops team and a Cascade PD detective suddenly thrown into the mix of their investigation of Michael Rosien. Not to mention the crime magnate’s grandson. They knew about Rosien’s sudden interest in his only living heir, but had been caught off guard by the steps he had taken to try to arrange to meet the young man. They had been uncooperative with the PD’s investigation of Ellison’s abduction. Then Burke and his team had come to the rescue…uninvited and acting on their own.

The old man had let the feds vent. After they left, he had done some ass kicking of his own before sending the three junior members of the team off. His best team had decided to become creative recently and he wanted to know why.

He studied Burke for a moment and then let his hard-nose façade crumble. "Please. I’d really like to know what the hell is going on here, Dan."

Daniel Burke relaxed his stance and pointed at a chair. At his boss’s nod, he seated himself and blew out a short breath. "You ever ask yourself why we do what we do, Bill?"

Receiving only a quizzical look in response, Burke continued. "I’m good at what I do…my team is the best. And I always assumed that I was doing the right thing. Taking down the bad guy, defending the weak, the good of the country and all that. And then, a few months back, we deviate from the game plan. We see what we think is a better option and we go for it. That’s acceptable procedure." Burke shook his head, smiling at the memory. "What we got was Blair Sandburg. He told me…to my face…what I was doing was wrong; no…not wrong, exactly…more like how we went about it was wrong. Jeez, the kid had balls. I can’t explain it, really. But the kid got to me, got to all of us, you know? I mean, he’s supposed to be one of the weak, right? He’s supposed to be one of the reasons we do what we do. And in the middle of being held captive…during a black ops mission…thinking his life is at stake… he’s still telling us we’re not doing our job right."

Burke leaned forward in his chair, resting his arms on his thighs, hands clasped. He studied the floor for a few minutes before looking back up at his boss.

"To top it off, the little shit outsmarts us. So…game plan changes again. It all worked out in the end. We still attained our objective, we just had to go about it a different way. Then, a few months after that, our paths cross again…in Mexico. Only this time, I get to see things from Ellison’s perspective. That kid means everything to him. Knowing Ellison’s background and what he’s capable of…watching him in action to get his cub back…then seeing the two of them together. Damn…it kinda hit home, that’s all. A lot of other shit went down during that mission. You’ve seen the report. But after all that, the kid practically adopts us for cryin’ out loud."

Burke pulled himself up straight once again. "So…yeah…when Ellison went missing and the feds bailed and the kid asked for our help? We helped. It’s what we’re supposed to do."

"I see." Bill Lansing studied his best operative and old friend carefully. Once in covert ops, few made it out to lead anything close to a normal life…especially as far as family was concerned. Ironman Ellison seemed to have done it, and allowed Burke and his team to become part of it. "Ellison really means that much to the kid?"

Burke laughed at this understatement. "The kid worships the water he thinks Ellison walks on."

"Well, the feeling seems to be mutual. Latest intel confirms Ellison has permanently acquired the kid, as in legally adopted him. The feds are pretty sure Rosien isn’t gonna be too happy." Lansing retrieved a key from his pocket and unlocked the top right hand drawer of his desk. He pulled out a large manila envelope, sealed and stamped with all the proper ‘eyes only’ markings. He tossed it to Burke. "Now get outta here."

%%%

Daniel Burke was whistling by the time he rejoined his men. At the incredulous looks on their faces, he simply placed a copy of the team’s latest mission in front of each of them. He then pulled up a chair, settled into it, grabbed a sandwich and soda, and waited.

As the men read, smiles slowly began to spread across their faces.

"How’d you pull this off, boss?" Burr asked.

Burke grinned around the big bite of chicken salad he’d just taken. "It wasn’t me."

This time Ethan asked for them all. "Who then? And why?"

"Ellison. Because he could." Burke’s grin widened as he swallowed. "He decided to call in a few markers. He managed to gather some useful info during his abduction. And…it seems that he and Hector Diaz hit it off big time during the op down in ole Meh-he-co. At Ellison’s urging, Senor Diaz has become very cooperative with the State department. He’s a powerful and influential man who was not at all happy about the possibility of having his name tied to Michael Rosien by way of his association with Naomi Sandburg. In exchange for these ‘little’ favors, Ellison requested our team be assigned to assist the feds in their surveillance of Rosien. The abduction of a police officer right under their noses seems to have upped the ante, so…" Burke shrugged his shoulders and raised his eyebrows innocently. "He’s at his Rhode Island compound now, so that’s where we’re heading first thing in the morning. Grab your copies, gentlemen. Let’s take the rest of this briefing to someplace a little more private."

%%%

"You sure your meetings are gonna keep you tied up all day, Poppa? No chance of getting away to join me for lunch?" Blair looked anxiously at his grandfather.

So far, his plan had gone perfectly. Blair really thought Jim would fight him when he announced his intention to attend an anthropology lecture series at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He had breached the topic at one of their Wednesday night dinners, hoping William’s presence would minimize any objections Jim might voice.

If Jim hadn’t been getting daily updates on Rosien’s whereabouts and activities, things might have gone differently. Added to that was William’s offer to accompany his grandson. One of Ellison Enterprises’ sister companies was based in Madison and William could arrange to take care of some overdue business dealings.

The two of them would fly out on the following Friday, spend some time together, attend their respective meetings/lectures on Saturday, spend more time together, tour the capitol and take in a nearby history museum before flying back late Sunday. Jim had agreed with only token misgivings and warnings. If there were any reports from Burke’s team in the intervening week that signaled trouble, Jim could call things off.

Three days. What could go wrong?

"I’m sure, kiddo." Blair chuckled at the use of the nickname William had picked up from Jim. "You know us corporate types. Get a roomful of us together and we’ll talk all day. You go on and have a good time. We’ll both get our ‘business’ portions of this trip out of the way. Meet you back here at…six? For dinner?"

"Six…got it. Thanks, Poppa." Blair gave William a quick hug and kissed the older man on the cheek. "You’re the best! Later!" He dashed out the door before William had time to react to the unexpected show of affection.

William stared at the closed door for a few moments before shaking himself. Gathering up his meeting notes and briefcase, he took a moment to reflect…for about the millionth time…on the turn his life had taken since Blair had entered Jim’s life. There was a marked bounce to his step as he left the room.

%%%

"Something’s up." Ray gave Ethan a hard jab to the ribs. "He’s on the move now. Heading to the runway. He’s got muscle with him. You better tell Burke."

Ethan grabbed his radio and signaled the team leader. "Heads up. There’s been activity since before dawn and he’s getting ready to fly the coop."

"Copy that. We’ve been monitoring. He’s headed to Wisconsin. Think he just has a hankering for cheese? Pack it up; our bird’s ready and we can be in the air in ten. We’ve already alerted an operative in dairyland to tag him for us till we get there. I’ll let Papa Bear know the big bad wolf is on the prowl."

%%%

Jim was running hard, Henry Brown right behind him. The perp was out of sight, but Jim was tracking him by the sound of his heavy footsteps pounding down the alley just ahead.

Jim knew where the guy was headed, but apparently the guy didn’t know this part of town. There was no outlet from the alley he had turned into.

Jim slowed as he approached the mouth of the alley and signaled for H to do the same, indicating by hand signals where their man was. He flattened himself to the wall and cautiously peeked around the corner. The perp was frantically looking for someplace to go, somewhere to hide. Jim signaled H he was going to cross to the other side of the alley’s opening. He took another quick look and dashed across the short distance. Holding up three fingers, he waited for H to nod in understanding before mouthing a countdown.

Upon reaching the silent ‘one’, the two detectives turned in unison into the alley, guns ready. "Police! Freeze!"

The perp didn’t freeze. He took dead aim…right at H’s head. With a shouted warning, Jim threw himself at his partner, taking them both to the pavement just as a shot rang out. Jim felt the bullet rip through his upper right arm, heard the damage it inflicted on bone and muscle. He heard H’s return shot just before his head impacted the concrete, sending him into darkness.

He came to, groggily, a short time later. He was on a stretcher; a neck brace was in place as well as an IV drip and a pressure bandage was on his arm. He became aware of H arguing with the paramedics. Brown was explaining they had to be careful with Jim…allergies and sensitivities to some medications…Cascade General had Jim’s file. The detective smiled. Blair had spent hours drilling every one of Jim’s possible backups on what to do in a situation like this if he wasn’t around. His guide was always looking out for him. Always.

The next time he came around, he was in the back of an ambulance. His cell phone was ringing. Simon Banks was sitting next to him, his big frame scrunched uncomfortably in the small space. The captain found Jim’s phone and answered it. Jim only made out parts of each end of the conversation. Daniel Burke was on the other end. Papa Bear…big bad wolf…he faded into darkness right after hearing something about Goldilocks’ whereabouts.

%%%

Blair left the lecture hall and made his way over toward Bascom Hill. He recalled Naomi telling him something once about war protests she had taken part in here during the Vietnam War. Thoughts of Naomi still brought mixed feelings, especially at times like this, when they came unexpectedly out of the blue. He wandered the campus for a time, taking in the beauty and ambience of the area, enjoying the buzz of activity that never seemed to let up at a university of this size.

Despite the chill that still clung to the early spring air, a warm breeze blew lazily across the campus. Pockets of half melted snow dotted the landscape in areas; while in others, the first green shoots of new growth could be seen nudging their way up through the soggy ground.

He pulled his backpack from his shoulder and checked the time on the sports watch that hung from one of the straps.

Time to decide.

Blair loved the family he now had…Jim and William…as well as the odd assortment of uncles he had adopted. He had a hard time trying to reconcile how he felt about Naomi and the part she had played in his life. Now there was this big black hole in his past, filled with unanswered questions not only about his real father, but about his real mother as well. And there was only one person who could answer those questions.

At first, upon learning the truth about his lineage, Blair had been content to ignore it. But as the weeks passed, his curiosity had gotten the better of him. He was an anthropologist, after all. He had spent most of his young life studying people, their cultures, their family ties, what binds them together and sets them apart.

From what Jim’s kidnapper had told them, it had sounded as if Rosien only wanted the chance to talk to Blair. Get to know him a little. The man had spent no little amount of time and money to make sure Blair would be safely tucked away from any possible threats.

When Rosien had contacted him after Naomi’s death, he had offered Blair a plane ticket to France to attend the funeral, along with a thick envelope. Blair had given the letter to Jim for safekeeping until such time in the future he might feel up to facing its contents. He had refused the plane ticket as well, but the phone number to call to claim the ticket had been etched in his near photographic memory.

The short trip to Wisconsin would be the perfect chance for a clandestine meeting, with Jim none the wiser. If they met in an open, public place…if he made it clear all he wanted from the man was to talk…

Taking a chance, he had called the number from his campus office the day before he and William were scheduled to leave. As he suspected, the number belonged to one of Rosien’s lawyers. He explained who he was and, before considering the foolishness of the act or losing his nerve to do it, he told the man he would be at the University of Wisconsin, Madison campus on Saturday. If Michael Rosien wanted to meet his grandson in person, he would be at the Memorial Union Terrace on the shores of Lake Mendota at 1:00 PM.

Blair went over everything once more in his head. He hadn’t given Rosien enough time to plan anything elaborate, if the man had anything sinister in mind. After all, Blair had initiated this contact…not him. If anything seemed remotely suspicious or out of place when he arrived at the meeting spot, he’d simply leave. The Union Terrace was a favorite spot for students to congregate; Blair felt there’d be safety in numbers. He’d position himself so that he’d have several possible escape routes. In his pockets, he had pepper spray, a police whistle and his Swiss army knife…

While this thought process was going on, Blair’s feet and subconscious had worked together of their own accord. Apparently, he was going to go through with the meeting.

%%%

"I just spoke with Simon Banks. Ellison took a bullet this morning while in pursuit of a suspect." Burke walked from the back of the small plane where he’d been since takeoff, placing calls, receiving updates and advising his superior. Seeing the concerned looks of his team, he hastened to reassure them. "Don’t worry; it’s nothing life threatening. He just wasn’t in any shape to talk, but Banks was." He waited until he was sure he had everyone’s full attention before continuing.

"You’ll never guess where little bit is."

%%%

Luncheon dishes were just being cleared away when William’s beeper went off. Recognizing the number, he excused himself and went off in search of a phone. He was a little taken aback to hear Simon Banks’ voice on his son’s cell phone, but the surprise quickly turned to dread upon hearing the police captain’s first words.

"William? Now don’t panic…Jim’s all right…I mean, he’s been shot, but he’s all right. He’s in surgery right now."

William’s panicked voice interrupted. "How? What happened? He’s going to be all right? You’re sure?"

"He was chasing a suspect. The guy fired. Jim got hit in the upper arm. They’re repairing the damage now, but they’ve assured me it’s nothing that won’t heal as good as new. He hit his head pretty hard when he went down, but no concussion." Simon got the information out as quickly as possible so William would calm down enough to hear the next question.

"Thank God he’s all right. What hospital is he at? Who’s the doctor in charge?" William wanted as much information as possible before he had to tell Blair the news.

"William, please…we’ll get to all that, I promise. Right now I need to know where Blair is. Do you know where he is?" The urgency in Simon’s voice renewed William’s sense of dread.

"He left a few hours ago for the campus. He’ll be there all day. We’re going to meet again at our hotel at six. Why? What else is wrong?"

"Where on campus? Can you contact him? Does he have his cell phone with him?"

"Yes, he has his phone. I made sure of it. Jimmy insists that Blair always has it with him. Are you going to tell me what’s wrong?"

"Michael Rosien is on his way to Madison. Burke and his men are right behind. I need you to get back to your hotel as soon as possible. One of Burke’s men will meet you there. I’ll contact Blair and get his position to Burke so they can pick him up. Have you got all that, William? William? I’ve got to go."

"Yes, Simon…yes…go."

The line went dead and William stared blankly at the receiver for a few moments before hurrying off to follow Simon’s directions.

%%%

The team, fully prepped and ready, had just been brought up to speed by their local operative when Simon called.

Rosien and his two armed bodyguards had left the private airstrip just minutes before Burke and his team arrived.

As requested, their operative had two cars ready and waiting for them. Weston was sent to meet William; the rest of the team took off after Rosien.

"Talk to me, Banks. What’ve you got? Where’s the kid?" Burke was starting to get a bad feeling about this.

Simon’s voice conveyed the same bad vibes. "All I know is he and William split up this morning. Blair was supposed to go to a lecture series at the campus. I tried calling him on his cell…William said he was sure the kid had it with him…but I didn’t get through. I got hold of the campus police. They sent an officer to the lecture hall…but no Blair. He was there for the morning series, but was a no-show after the lunch break. What’ve you got on your end?"

"We’ve got Rosien in our sites; we’re tailing him now. Weston will hook up with William. Keep trying the kid’s cell. Damn! I’d sure feel a lot better if I knew where he was."

"You and me both. I’ll call as soon as I hear anything."

The bad feeling Burke had got worse as their prey headed into the heart of the busy campus.

%%%

Blair turned to watch a sailboat drift peacefully across the water, a lone challenger to the recently thawed lake. The blue sky mirrored the blue water just about perfectly, making the scene almost one-dimensional, like a painting.

Sighing heavily, he turned back to once again observe the students milling about. He anxiously checked his watch once again, not sure if he should feel disappointed his grandfather hadn’t shown up. It had been a stupid, dangerous idea and he was suddenly relieved the man hadn’t taken him up on his offer. After all…it wasn’t like the man really wanted him…and he was a criminal…a criminal who’d paid to have Blair kidnapped and kept out of his life.

It still felt like rejection.

%%%

"Damn…they made us." Jackson Burr took his eyes off the blue sedan just long enough to inform Burke. Burr had watched as the car veered back and forth across lanes, suddenly making an un-signaled turn. The team’s car had quickly followed, verifying the other car’s suspicions.

Within a few minutes the original course was resumed, the sedan keeping at least six cars between them.

Burke’s car followed Rosien’s into a parking lot on a hill overlooking the nearby lake. Keeping their distance, for now, they waited and watched for the next move.

One of the bodyguards got out of the car and began scanning the crowded lakeside terrace below them with a pair of small binoculars. Jackson Burr followed suit. The other bodyguard kept a watchful eye on Burke and his team.

A few minutes later, the first bodyguard lowered his glasses and opened the rear door of the sedan. Michael Rosien got out and took the proffered field glasses. The other man extended his left arm, pointing his finger into the crowd. Rosien raised the glasses to his eyes and trained his sight in that direction. Jackson Burr did the same.

Burke watched…his brows furrowed in confusion…as the tiniest hint of a smile played across Rosien’s otherwise unreadable features. A minute later all three men re-entered the car.

"It’s little bit!" Burr’s announcement came just as the other car began pulling away.

Ethan, who had been scanning the crowd along with Burr, took off running just as Burke shouted his orders.

"Jack…you’re with me. We’ll stick with Rosien. Ethan…little bit is yours! Grab him and hang tight…we’ll send an intercept to take you both to Ray. Let’s go, people! Move!"

Ethan’s eyes never lost sight of his quarry as he waved his hand in acknowledgement. He barreled through the throng of startled students, making a beeline for the curly head.

Blair became aware of the agitated shouts of alarm and sudden commotion around him a second before he saw the huge form of Ethan James come charging at him.

The seven-foot-plus hulk slid to a stop in front of the startled young man with a grace that belied his size. He instantly became a human shield, cutting Blair off from everything around them.

Dazed confusion quickly changed to a delighted smile as Blair looked up into the worried face staring down at him.

"Hi Ethan! What are you doing here?"

%%%

Things happened rather quickly after that. Ethan hustled Blair away from the crowded area, hastily trying to explain to Blair the danger he was in. The youngster was bustled into a car, and his head was pushed down against the seat. Ethan held him down with a large hand spread across his chest, all the while muttering vague reassurances.

Blair waited until Ethan had calmed a bit before speaking up.

"Um…Ethan? It’s not that I’m not happy to see you, man. But…what the hell…um, heck is going on?"

Before an answer could be given, Ethan’s radio crackled to life. "Ethan…what’s your status?"

Blair groaned as he recognized Daniel Burke’s voice and the implications of what had just transpired began to sink in.

Ethan smiled happily at Blair, who had begun a fruitless squirming against Ethan’s hold. "Goldilocks is secure and we are on our way to Grandma’s house." The big man chuckled at Blair’s stricken look.

"Goldilocks?" Blair rolled his eyes and emitted another soft groan. "No way, man…I will never live this one down!"

The radio crackled once more. "Copy that. It looks like the big bad wolf was just out for a stroll. He’s boarding his plane now. We’re gonna stay with him, Ethan. You and Ray make sure little bit and William are okay and escort them back to Papa Bear. We’ll be in touch."

"Copy that." The radio went silent. Ethan looked down at Blair who was wiggling in earnest now and looking more than just a little apprehensive. He released his hold and helped the youngster to an upright position.

Blair became uncharacteristically subdued and quiet, glancing about nervously while he rubbed at his left thumb with his right hand.

Ethan leaned back, allowing the adrenaline that had been pumping through his veins to work itself out of his system. He kept an eye on the youngster out of the corner of his eye, somewhat concerned at Blair’s reticence. He thought back over the last twelve hours, trying to make sense of the bizarre series of events. Something about the timing struck him as very odd.

The team knew Rosien was keeping tabs on Blair. So, it was probable he had been notified of Blair’s trip with William. Now that he thought about it, Ethan was a little pissed Ellison hadn’t seen fit to alert Burke about the trip. He made a note to himself to discuss this little oversight with his team leader. What was odd was Rosien had known exactly where Blair was going to be. And it wasn’t where Blair had told William he was going to be.

As understanding slowly began to dawn, Ethan gave his young charge a look that was mixed with anger and pity. Anger at the foolishness of the boy’s actions, and pity for the retribution the boy would surely soon face.

%%%

William’s agitated pacing was beginning to wear on Ray’s nerves.

Burke had kept Weston appraised of the team’s whereabouts and the progress of the mission. William had insisted on knowing what was happening every step of the way.

As the details came in, William relayed them by phone to Simon Banks.

And Simon passed the information along to the members of MC who were waiting with him for Jim to come out of surgery. Simon, in turn, reported Jim’s progress to William.

Between updates, the pacing continued.

Then the update came…the one they had been waiting for…letting them know Blair had been found, was safe, and was on his way to join them.

Ray and William joined each other in a celebratory whoop, patting each other on the back in release of their pent up concern. William immediately called Simon and was rewarded, in turn, by news of Jim coming out of surgery with no complications.

And then the pacing had started again, with renewed vigor.

Just as Ray was ready to snag the older man and force him to sit, a knock came at the door…followed by Ethan James’ deep voice letting them know who it was.

William was at the door in an instant. He pulled Blair to him, hugging him fiercely. Blair returned the embrace, enjoying its warmth.

Then tears began to fall…William’s from relief, Blair’s from guilt.

The youngster had never meant for things to go this way. In retrospect, it had been a very stupid idea. But he had never meant to worry William…no one else was ever even supposed to know about his little side trip.

Insecurities Blair thought he had finally overcome came pouring out of the woodwork of his soul. He berated himself for what he now saw as a selfish need to learn about a father that didn’t exist, and a mother who most likely would never be found…if she were even still alive. His self-centered wants had enabled him to ignore common sense and the possible effects his rash actions might have on those people who were now his family.

He screwed up his courage and pulled away from William, ready to own up to his irresponsible actions.

But William spoke first, stunning Blair into silence by his somber announcement.

"I know you’ve been though a lot today, Blair. But before you say anything, there’s something I need to tell you." He guided his grandson to the bed and sat them both down on the edge. "Jim was shot today."

Blair gasped in dismay as a pained, frightened look darkened the normally bright blue eyes; the curly head began shaking vehemently in denial. "No, no, no…"

William hurriedly reassured the boy, silently chiding himself for being so blunt. "Now there, son. He’s all right. I spoke with Simon just a little while ago. Jim’s out of surgery. He was hit in the upper arm…no major damage. It’s going to be all right. I’m sorry…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have just blurted it out like that."

Blair hung his head, feeling totally miserable. Jim had been shot…his father…the man that had chosen to be his father… had been shot while he was off on a lark to meet a man who had done his best to deny him a family.

William hugged the boy to him, rubbing a calming hand up and down the trembling back.

"Let’s call him, son, shall we? I know he’ll want to hear your voice as much as you want to hear his."

%%%

Simon snatched the receiver on the first ring. He began smiling immediately at William’s news, nodding his head wildly at Jim’s questioning look. He handed the phone to Jim and sat back to watch as the strain of worrying receded from his friend’s face.

Daniel Burke had already called and brought them up to speed on the strange trek Rosien had led them all on. Now William was reassuring Jim his son was safe and sound. When Jim asked for Blair to be put on the line Simon got up to leave, but sat back down again at Jim’s signal.

"Hey, Chief…son…are you all right?"

"Yeah…um…fine. W-what about you?"

The sentinel immediately noted something amiss in his guide’s hesitant voice.

"I’m fine, too…a little sore, a little drowsy. You’d of been proud of H, kiddo. He followed your drill to a tee. Those paramedics didn’t stand a chance." Jim chuckled at the hazy memory of H hassling the EMT’s and the detective’s subsequent bragging of how he’d handled things. "There was some muscle and tissue damage, and the bullet nicked the bone. But the doctors say I should heal just fine. My arm will be in a sling and out of commission for about six weeks, but I think I can live with that."

"W-which arm?"

The father noted something fishy about his son’s strange question.

"The one I’m not going to be able to use to paddle your little behind when I find out whatever it is you’re trying so hard not to tell me." Jim paused a moment, allowing his statement it’s full impact. "That arm."

Blair’s gulp was audible through the phone line. He hesitated for only a moment before the whole story poured out.

When the tale ended amid heartfelt apologies and loud sniffling, Jim did his best to quiet the distraught young man.

"Blair…Blair? Blair…listen to me. Listen. I love you kiddo. Understand? No matter what. No. Matter. What. Got that? We will have a long talk about this when you get back here, you can count on that, but for now…I’m just glad you’re safe. I love you, kiddo. See you soon."

Before Blair could work himself into a full blown panic attack, Jim instructed him to put William back on the phone.

"Dad…? You heard…? Everything…? Look, dad, I… What? What are you going to do…? Dad…? Dad…? Yeah…love you too."

Jim handed the receiver to Simon to hang up. He gave his friend a quick recap of Blair’s confession, and then settled back on his pillows, ready to get some rest. He closed his eyes, replaying his father’s words in his mind. It wasn’t so much what his father had said, as much as how he had said it. Jim had certainly recognized that tone of voice. He smiled contentedly in the knowledge his son was in good hands…very good…very capable hands.

%%%

William, Ethan and Ray stared at Blair with varying looks of disbelief, displeasure and surprise.

When the sobs and muffled apologies to his father had died down, Blair turned to William and held the phone out to him.

"H-he w-wants to t-talk to you again, Poppa."

William pointed to the connecting door to Blair’s room before taking the phone. He spoke to Blair in a stern voice that brooked no argument. "Go to your room, Blair." The youngster hesitated for a moment, but fled quickly at the one word command that followed. "Now."

William took the phone, but waited until he’d made sure Blair had complied with his order before speaking to Jim. "Yes. Yes I heard…we all heard. Yes…the whole story. Jimmy…I’ll handle this. This is between my grandson and me. I think it’s time Blair and I have a little talk. There are a few things I think I need to straighten out. You get some rest now, son. I love you."

Ignoring Ethan and Ray’s bewildered looks, William walked calmly across the room, pulled his suitcase off the floor and placed it on the bed. He opened it, rummaged around for a moment and retrieved what he was looking for. He then proceeded to the door to Blair’s room, placed one hand on the knob, and then turned to speak to Ethan and Ray.

"Gentlemen, please excuse me." He turned the knob, opened the door and entered the room, closing the door firmly behind him.

Ethan James and Ray Weston looked at each other, neither man able to suppress a smile.

"Can you believe that little shit?"

"Wait’ll Burke hears about this…"

"Did you see the look on William’s face?"

"I’m sure glad I’m not in little bit’s shoes right now."

"You don’t think he’s gonna…?"

"Oh, yeah…that’s exactly what I think he’s gonna do…and if he doesn’t, I sure as hell will."

%%%

Blair was staring out the window. The tone in William’s voice had left a hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach. Blair was telling himself William was even now explaining to Jim it had been a mistake to adopt Blair. He sighed miserably at the thought of what a mess he had once again made of his life.

He heard the door open and was aware of William entering the room. He continued to stare out the window, ignoring William for the moment…ashamed to turn and face the man. He heard William move behind him, and realized William had seated himself on the bed.

"Blair…please come here." William’s voice was softer now, less stern than it had been a few minutes earlier.

Blair took a deep breath, steeling himself for the conversation to come. He turned, and paced the few steps to stand next to William.

Something about the way things looked seemed oddly familiar…

Blair realized what is was when he noticed the hairbrush laying on the bed next to William…a split second before his grandfather pulled him forward to land face down across the man’s lap.

With a skill that spoke of having done this before, William angled Blair’s torso as he deftly unbuttoned the boy’s jeans and pulled pants and boxers swiftly down to Blair’s knees. Easily and efficiently, he repositioned Blair. He locked his squirming grandson firmly in place with one arm and shifted his right leg, raising Blair’s backside slightly.

Blair quickly found his voice. "Poppa! What are you doing? No!" Astonishment and panic edged the youngster’s voice. He wiggled and fought against William’s hold, but the older man’s years of experience in dealing with situations like this prevailed.

William brought his hand down across Blair’s butt in a flurry of swift, hard swats.

"Your actions today, young man, were irresponsible, reckless, selfish, dangerous and dishonest." Painful smacks to the wiggling bottom accompanied the recitation of each of Blair’s transgressions. "And if you think for one minute you can get away with this sort of behavior just because your father isn’t here to deal with you, then you are sadly mistaken."

"No! Please, Poppa! I’m sorry! Ouch! Ow! Owwwwwww!"

William paused momentarily to pick up the brush, and the punishment quickly resumed.

"And since it looks like Jim’s injury today would have prevented him from taking care of business even if he had been here, I think it’s high time you realize I have no qualms about stepping in for him."

The brush came down over and over, covering each cheek with hard, even smacks. The pale little butt across William’s lap rapidly blushed to a rosy red.

"Owwwww! Ahhhhhhhh! OUCH! Poppa!" Blair clutched at the bedspread, burying his face in its folds as he sobbed out his regret.

The older man had never let on to either Jim or Blair that he was well aware of both the list that hung on the refrigerator door in the loft, as well as the way Jim dealt with any violations of the rules. If he wasn’t mistaken, the count for today’s little escapade added up to at least five.

William thought back over the afternoon’s long hours of worry and panic as he continued spanking. He took into consideration the risks Burke’s team had taken to keep his grandson safe as the brush came down again and again. He imagined the look of grief that would have been on Jim’s face, as well as his own, if Rosien had decided to reclaim what he thought was his.

Steeling himself to finish the task he’d started, William tuned out Blair’s sobs and pleas, concentrating instead on imparting to his grandson a lasting reminder of the consequences of the foolhardy actions that had taken place today.

Smack…smack…smack…smack…smack…smack…smack…smack…smack…smack.

Finally satisfied the red bottom across his lap had been thoroughly warmed, William brought the spanking to an end.

He eased the sobbing boy off his lap and helped him to his feet.

Blair hastily pulled boxers and jeans back up, hissing and wiggling as the fabric made contact with his throbbing butt. He looked timidly at William, not sure how to react to the deserved punishment.

"Didn’t think the old man had it in him, did you?" The twinkle in William’s eyes that accompanied the teasing tone of his voice eased Blair’s apprehension.

"No, sir…I mean…yes sir…I mean…" Blair smiled shyly at the older man as he rubbed at his aching backside.

"And if you ever pull a stunt like this on me again, young man, I will give you a spanking that will make this one seem like gentle love taps in comparison. Do I make myself clear?" The twinkle in his eyes was still was there, but William’s voice now conveyed a very real promise.

The curly head was already nodding vigorously in agreement. "Clear. Yes sir."

"Good." William stood, and pulled Blair to him in a warm hug, placing a kiss to the flushed forehead. "I love you, Blair. You’re a part of this family…now and forever. Please…don’t ever doubt that."

Blair returned William’s hug, allowing his unfounded doubts and insecurities to melt away in the warmth of his grandfather’s touch.

"I love you, too, Poppa."

%%%

Blair fidgeted restlessly in the corner, serving his punishment for having turned off his cell phone during his recent misadventure. Sure that Jim had forgotten to set the timer, Blair spun around to check…not wishing to be stranded in the spot if their expected guests decided to arrive early.

"Jim? Did you remember…?"

"Ten minutes yet, Junior. Put your nose back where it belongs." Jim smiled at his son; surprised Blair had lasted as long as he had before asking the inevitable question.

Blair dutifully turned back, sighing heavily.

It had been three days since returning from the trip to Wisconsin. Fathers and sons had reunited amid hugs, apologies, reassurances…and a double whammy lecture for Blair, with added commentary from Ethan and Ray. The two operatives were coming for Wednesday family night at the loft. They were slated to return to Rhode Island to rejoin their team in the morning.

William looked up from the pot of chicken stew he was tending. He chuckled at his two boys as the nightly ritual was repeated. To Jim’s surprise, William had insisted on staying at the loft after Jim’s release to help with things for a few days.

Other than the hated corner time, Jim meted out no further punishments. Judging by Blair’s squirming every time the boy had to sit down, Jim was quite satisfied with the way William had handled things.

The timer buzzed and Blair shot out of the corner. He raced to the kitchen to help with the last of the meal preparations, just minutes before Ethan and Ray arrived.

The evening passed quickly and pleasantly. To Blair’s relief, the conversation focused on mundane things such as sports and fishing. Ethan and Ray only teased the youngster occasionally regarding the state of his still tender backside. Blair took the ribbing in good humor, noting to himself that his butt might very well be in worse shape if it had been Ethan James that had paddled him.

Daniel Burke called to check in on his team…and to dish out his own admonishments and threats to the young miscreant. The four older men chuckled and grinned; watching in amusement as Blair’s expressive features relayed the message Burke was delivering. The youngster’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, murmured apologies and muttered ‘yes sir’s’ followed; his face paled noticeably, and then blushed a deep red.

A somewhat subdued Blair handed the phone to Jim and then the youngster retreated to the far side of the room. William joined him, donning the part of grandfather as he soothed the boy’s bruised spirit, soon coaxing the boy back into good humor.

Burke informed Jim of Michael Rosien’s peculiar reaction to his grandson’s overture, leaving Jim to draw his own conclusions regarding the entire episode.

Jim sat back, relaxing in the company of his family as he considered Burke’s words.

His eyes met William’s from across the room and the two men exchanged knowing looks of shared relief and fatherly understanding. Blair’s infectious laugh drew both men’s attention as the boy gave Ray and Ethan an animated description of a fertility ritual he had once witnessed in a remote village in Peru.

Burke’s words came back to him once more. A fierce sense of protectiveness swept over Jim. Michael Rosien had had his chance. He’d had 22 years before Blair and Jim had met during which he could have staked his claim to his grandson. He had chosen instead to entrust his flesh and blood to an uncaring, selfish bitch. And now, unsolicited, he had been given another chance by his naïve grandson.

Thanks to the vigilance of Blair’s extended family, that chance had been snatched away.

The sentinel intended to make sure there would be no second chance.

End