Author’s Notes: This story is a follow up to ‘Senseless’ and ‘Blue Eyes’.

~*~*~

"Detective Ellison, please try to understand." The man in the white coat spoke in that condescending way typical of many doctors. "We cannot allow Mr. Sandburg’s release." The doctor’s eyes never left Jim’s. "Look at him."

Jim didn’t need to look.

"I don’t need your permission. I’m his power of attorney."

William Ellison shifted uncomfortably. He reached out and touched his son gently on the shoulder. "Jimmy…"

Jim shrugged, brushing off both his father’s hand and whatever the older man was going to say. He turned his back on Dr. Bauer and continued packing Blair’s things.

The doctor tried again. "I know you think Mr. Sandburg has shown improvement…"

Jim spun around and encroached menacingly upon the doctor’s personal space. "Blair, damn it! His name is Blair!"

Everyone in the room reacted to the vehemence in Jim’s voice and stance, jumping or gasping in surprise. Everyone, that is, except the person they were discussing.

Blair sat in his usual spot on the far side of the room, unmoving. A rattled looking young nurse sat next to him.

Dr. Bauer held up his hands in a placating gesture. "Of course. Blair."

Jim clenched and unclenched his fists, breathing slowly and deliberately through his nose, willing himself to calm down. The doctor’s saccharine laced voice was wearing on his nerves.

The doctor ploughed ahead, determined to make his case.

"Despite what you’ve said you’ve witnessed, no one else has noticed any change in Blair’s condition."

Jim’s blue eyes bored into the doctor, challenging the statement.

"He requires constant care and attention. He’s doesn’t feed or dress himself; he can’t shower or use the bathroom without help." The doctor paused a moment, trying to gauge if his words were having any affect on his patient’s best friend.

Jim began pacing up and down the length of the room, glancing anxiously from the doctor, to William, to Blair. His gaze lingered on his guide, as if by sheer willpower he could force Blair to show a glimmer of response.

Thinking he was finally getting through to the detective, Dr. Bauer went on. His voice was low and soft and maddeningly patronizing.

"I know it’s hard for you to see him like this. It’s hard, when we see someone like Blair; someone so young, so intelligent, so vibrant, someone we love, reduced to such a near vegetative state. Perhaps it would be best for everyone if you didn’t come by so often, at least for a while…"

That’s when Jim lost it. What little control he’d been exercising came crashing down around him. With cat-like swiftness, he crossed the room, grabbed Blair by the arms and pulled him to his feet. He shook the younger man hard.

The nurse jumped to her feet and latched on to Jim’s nearest forearm, pulling and clawing at it in an attempt to make him let go.

Jim yanked Blair up higher, bringing them face-to-face.

"Blair! Chief! Damn it! Snap out of it! Don’t you see what they’re doing? Is this what you want? To sit in this goddamn room for the rest of your life?"

Blair hung limply in his friend’s grip. The shaking motion caused him to flop around spasmodically, like a rag doll. His curls swung freely, aimlessly, and his eyes stared straight ahead.

William and Dr. Bauer had quickly come up to Jim’s other side. The two men joined the nurse’s efforts to make Jim loosen his hold.

"Jimmy! Let go! What the hell are you doing?" William sounded scared.

"Detective Ellison, stop. This isn’t helping." The doctor looked at the nurse. "Get security."

The nurse let go of Jim and hurried out the door.

Jim gave Blair another hard shake. "Chief!"

And then Jim slapped Blair once across the left cheek, forcefully, and shoved him back down onto the chair. He easily shook free of the two men trying to wrench him away from Blair and spun around. He stomped about the room, kicking things out his way. Blair’s possessions, which had been brought to the facility at Jim’s insistence, were now being snatched up by the frenzied sentinel and thrown haphazardly out of his way.

Two security guards came pounding up the hall and barreled into the room.

Jim snarled at them, daring them to come closer.

The room became quiet then. The guards looked past Jim, and then backed off into the hall.

Jim was breathing hard…his chest heaving, nostrils flaring. His world narrowed to the scent of his guide...spices, herbal soap, fresh washed flannel and old sneaker.

The effect was pacifying and he piggybacked smell to hearing and zeroed in on the soothing, rhythmic cadence of his guide’s heartbeat. The nearness of the sound startled him and he turned around.

Jim’s eyes crinkled in delight at the sight before him. He chuckled in relief, shaking his head.

Blair stood a few feet from his sentinel, surveying the debris field resulting from the older man’s tirade. He absently rubbed at his cheek, trying to erase the sting he couldn’t account for.

William and Dr. Bauer stood behind Blair, mouths hanging open in stark disbelief.

And then Blair spoke, for the first time in almost four months, and it was music to the sentinel’s ears.

"Jesus, Jim. What the hell is going on?"