CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
"Get the hell out of my way, damn you," Jim sent Napoleon flying into the wall and stormed the bedroom.
Blair's screams continued. Part of a nightmare that had caught him in its deathgrip.
Caught up in his own need to safeguard the self-totured man, Jim strode to the bed without a backward glance at the two men who pursued him. "Blair." He sat on the edge of the bed, catching the flailing bundle that was his Blair in a tight embrace.
"Jim?" Blair's shadowed eyes popped open. His hands butterflied over Jim's face. "Jim?"
Napoleon hurried toward the pair, a look of pure intent on his face, his hand reaching for Jim. Illya halted him with a hand on his arm. "Wait."
Napoleon spun around. "But..."
"Watch."
Napoleon nodded, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I'm here, sweetcheeks." Jim smoothed Blair's hair back from his face. "I've got you."
"Jim...? Jim, I had a terrible dream, man," Blair babbled. "Real bad one, you know? I dreamt...But it's real, isn't it? I can't see."
Jim drew Blair onto his lap, rocking him, running calming fingers through dark curls. I know, sweetcheeks. I know."
"You said...." Blair clutched Jim's shirt in a strangle hold. "You said....Oh god, you're leaving me, aren't you? You're leaving me."
"It's all right, Blair. I'm here."
Blair shook his head. "I can't help who I am. I can't stop being who I am. Who I've had to be all my life."
"Shush, Blair my own, shush," Jim's arms tightened around him.
"Don't leave me, Jim. Don't hate me."
"Never, sweetcheeks. I could never hate you."
"Maybe....maybe I can be better, you know? Maybe I can...You could teach me, huh? You think? You could..... You could punish me....I don't mind, really I don't. Lou used to beat me when I did something to upset the johnnies..."
"No," Jim and Napoleon shouted together.
"Oh...." Blair nodded, laughing sadly. "Oh, I see. Okay, I understand. I just thought...."
"No, Blair, you don't understand."
"When are you going to leave, Jim?" Blair tried to smile and failed. "Will you stay until I'm more used to the... dark. I'm just so scared right now. I can't see them anymore. The demons, you know? I'd feel better if I thought you might be there to...You don't even actually have to watch for them....I'd just like to think...."
"I'm not leaving you, Blair." Jim cupped Blair's face, staring deeply into sightless eyes. "Do you hear me? I...am...not...leaving....you."
Illya snagged Napoleon's arm and hustled him out.
"Because I'm blind?"
"No. Because I want to stay. I need you, you silly little fool. I need every disorienting, disturbing, neurotic quirky bit of you."
Blair's grin rocked his world.
"You do? Like Tony? Like forever?"
"Not like Tony, Blair. You are nothing like him. And I don't want another Tony. I want Blair. I want you."
Blair touched Jim's cheek as if he were afraid the bigger man would vanish in a puff of smoke. "You can have me, Jim. Anytime. Any place."
He ran his hands down Jim's chest, bunching the shirt in his hands as they roamed back up the solid tanned flesh.
Jim caught Blair's hands, breathing a quick kiss on his lips. "That's not what I meant, Blair."
Biting his lip, Blair traced Jim's mouth. "Did I do something wrong? I thought...you wanted me."
"I do want you. All of you, Blair, not just your body. I'm an greedy man. I want your thoughts. I want your laughter. I want your fears. The whole package. I won't settle for less."
Blair tilted his head thoughtfully. "Are you saying.....No sex?"
Chuckling, Jim cuddled the smaller man, nuzzling his neck. "No, Blair. No sex Not until we make this more than johnny sex."
Blair frowned. "Johnny sex is good sometimes."
"Not now, sweetcheeks. We'll make it...when it's more than just a quick animal fuck. When we trust each other more."
Blair thought that over for a moment. "You think you will ever trust me?"
"I think I'm damn close to it now."
Music, hauntingly sad, pulled Jim from sleep. He reached out to tug Blair into his arms and discovered he was alone.
The discovery jolted him out of bed. His hearing opened, scanning the area in ever increasing circles for that one elusive heartbeat he recognized as Blair's. He found it, slightly elevated, wrapped in the music.
Feet moving of their own voilation, he followed the sounds out of the bedroom, down the hall and into a large hardwood floored room.
Blair danced in the center of the room, swaying to the haunting strains, his movements, his body posture, a disturbing visual mirror of the music.
"He's amazing, isn't he?" Illya said, his accented words drawing Jim from the near zone out.
"When did his sight come back?" Jim asked with a bright grin.
"It hasn't."
"Blair knows this room. Every square inch of it. He's been choreographing his dances here for several years. How did you imagine he managed to get time out of the club?"
Jim shrugged. "Thought you bought him for the night, I guess."
Illya laughed. "Benny never lets his dancers off club property."
"Then how...."
"That's a long story. Let's just say we were sent out to find him by an interested party. Our backer wanted it legal so we were to buy him, but Benny reckoned he could make more money keeping the pretty one on his back than we could afford...Correctly so, I might add. Benny was't adverse to letting us buy into the club though...And we agreed, provided we could have him three nights a week." Illya shrugged. "It got him out for short times at least. More than the others."
"And the buyer?"
"Took what he could get. It was not enough."
Jim tilted his head, watching the blonde through narrowed eyes. "How long have you known Blair?"
"Ten years. He was twenty-three when we made the deal for him. "
"You're going to tell me who actually paid for his freedom, such as it was, aren't you?"
"Don't guess it matters. Our boss wanted him for his new mistress. A slave he bought several years before." Illya glanced at Blair dancing with less sure feet. "His mother."
"Where is she now?"
"Dead. She wasted away grieving for what her son was forced to become."
"Does he know?"
"He knows she no longer comes when he's here. It as a long time ago. He must realize she is gone, but he was never told, no."
Blair faltered, missing a step, then caught the rhythm of the music, throwing himself back into the magic.
"He's worn out," Jim said, frowning. "How long has he been at this."
"A while. He'll finish soon."
Blair stumbled, falling to his knees. Gathering himself, he shoved relentlessly to his feet and began the desperate steps again.
"He'll pass out soon."
"Exactly."
"And you're allowing this?" Jim snapped, taking a step in Blair's direction.
Illya whirled him back. "Leave him. You hear that music. He wrote it. He recorded it. When he dances to it, he's chasing his demons. This is his way of dealing with the things that scare him. And right now he needs to exhaust himself to get any rest at all. He needs to escape the dark. To forget that Deena is out there looking for him."
Jim nodded. "Will she come here?"
"She's already been."
A once graceful spinning leap ended with Blair flat on his face. He staggered up, wiping blood from the cut lip with the back of his hand. And resumed the punishing pace.
"No more." Jim roared, breaking from Illya. His arms wrapped around the squirming dancer. "Stop it." He gave Blair a small shake. "Dammit, Blair. Stop it. I won't let you do this to yourself."
Blair stiffened briefly, then sagged in the security that was Jim. Jim scooped his guide up in his arms, thrilled when Blair curled an arm around his neck and snuggled down against his shoulder.
"Did you see, Jim?" Blair whispered through an exhausted yawn. "Did you see me fly?"
"Yes, sweetcheeks. Now you're going to sleep. And when you wake up we're going to have a nice long talk.
Blair clawed deeper into Jim's embrace, seeking his sentinel in his sleep.
"I'm here, sweetcheeks," Jim murmured into Blair's curls, "Rest."
"Guy can only sleep so long," Blair's words were slurred, groggy. "Even if he has nothing to wake up for."
That sounded like a dangerous line of thought. "It's a damn good thing you have a lifetime full of things to wake up for, then isn't it?"
Blair shrugged, squirming against Jim once more.
"Easy, Blair. You can't get any closer if you crawled up inside me and looked out my eyes."
Blair leaned back a bit, directing sightless eyes with unerring accuracy to Jim's own gaze. "What would I see if I did?"
You. Jim kissed his brow. "My World. Wrapped up in one small nueroctic bundle of energy."
Blair huffed a small laugh. "You've been shorted, Jim."
Jim licked one puckered brow. "Not to my way of it."
Blair traced a finger over Jim's lips. "Were you here the whole time I slept? I can do a marathon doze after a dance session."
Jim smiled against the finger. "I didn't want you waking up alone."
"Been doing it all my life."
Blair's hand drifted away, leaving Jim strangely bereft. "You're not going to do it anymore."
Blair tried to roll away but Jim held him firmly where he was. "You're not putting this off any longer, Blair. We're going to talk, once and for all."
A stubborn look settled over the lean features. "Nothing to say."
"Oh, I think you have plenty to say. I think you need to talk."
He shook his head once, curtly. "You're wrong."
"Am I?" Jim caught a handful of Blair's hair and forced his head back just enough to tip his face up to him. "About which part?"
"Please...." Blair swallowed. "I don't want to do this."
"But you will, Blair. You must. You can't have any secrets from me.
"Can't? What a load of it, man," Blair began. "Who are you telling me what I can and can't....."
"Blair...."
"...Do. Of all the....
"Blair..."
"...Nerve. You claim I'm a free man and then tell me even my thoughts aren't private. You're no better than...."
Jim's hand clamped down on Blair's mouth. "Don't make that comparision, Blair. Don't insult me like that." Jim's hand fell away from silent Blair lips, waiting.
After a moment, he claimed those same lips in a gentle testing kiss. "I know what you're doing, you know? Finally figured it out."
Blair pushed against Jim's hard chest. And got nowhere. "Don't know what you mean."
"Don't you?"
"Jim, I...."
"Whenever I try to find out something about you, you blow up in my face. Every time, Blair. Every god damn time."
Blair ducked his head against Jim's chest. "You're wrong."
"Am I?"
"You know everything there is to know about me."
"I know the surface shit. I know what made up Blair the slave. He's dead, sweetcheeks. Blair the man? The dancer? He's alive. That man I do not know. But I'm going to. That's a promise."
"Nothing to tell. Let go. I gotta piss."
Jim stared at the petulant face.
"I'm serious here, man. I really gotta go."
Jim turned him loose. "I'll take you....."
"No!" Blair rolled away quickly, as if he were afraid Jim might grab him up again. "No, I can do it. I'm not a baby. Don't need you to hold my hand. Some guide I am, huh? Some kind of man."
"Blair..."
Blair backed away, holding one hand before him and searching behind him with the other. "I don't want your help. I don't want...anything."
Jim held his ground, letting Blair go."
Half an hour later, Jim strode out of the bedroom and glowered down at the two men snuggling lazily on the sofa. "Where is he?"
Napoleon lifted his dreamy eyed gaze. "Who?"
"You know damn well who. Where is Blair?"
As if in answer, dark music filled the air. Blair was chasing his demons again. Running away from Jim's questions with dogged determination.
Well, two can play that game.
Jim stomped down the hall, flung the door open and stopped dead in his tracks.
Blair, rocking himself in a slow back and forth motion, crouched on the floor. Tears washed down his hollowed cheeks. Soft, muffled sobs formed a haunting backdrop to the despairing melody.
While Jim watched, Blair floated to his feet and began the exacting steps that would push him to exhaustion once more. The tears continued as he dipped, swayed, acting out the misery locked deep within him.
A kerchief dangled before Jim's face. "Did you know that nearly 75 percent of our slave population die as the result of suicide?"
Jim mopped up the tears he shared with the dancing man. "Why tell me?"
"I know Blair better than you do."
Jim's icy stare darted back to Blair. "He's all right."
Illya snorted. "Funny how we only see what we want to, isn't it?"
"He's strong. He won't give up."
Illya looked him in the eye. "He already has."
Jim blanched at the quiet spoken words. "He won't talk to me."
"Don't leave it too long, caveman," Illya murmured. "Save him."
"I wish I knew how."
Illya smiled sadly. "You better figure it out soon." Illya turned to leave, adding over his shoulder. "Bring him in. Dinner's ready."
Illya set a plate down in frnt of Blair. "It's an easy one this time, Blair baby. Pizza at twelve high, tossed salad ten and fruit, orange sections at four. Your tea's a high two." He set Blair's hand on the silver. "There's your fork, spoon and knife. Think you can handle it?"
Blair shrugged, rattling the cutlery. "Yeah, sure. Whatever."
"Need any help?" Jim offered, leaning close.
"He can do it," Napoleon snapped.
"Yeah," Blair muttered softly, his eyes cast down. "What he said."
Jim stared helplessly at his guide. Watching him tear apart the food put so carefully before him. Lift and put down a cup that never reached his pale lips. And finally push aside a thoroughly mangled plate without having tasted a single thing.
"Blair...."
"I'm kinda tired, Illya. Too big a day. You mind if I turn in now?"
Illya met Jim's eyes, silencing his protest with one glance. "Go ahead, shalava."
Blair pushed out of his chair and walked slowly across the room, holding one hand before him. Halfway to his room, he stumbled over a low table.
Jim bolted from his seat, but Napoleon and Illya each grabbed an arm and held him back.
Blair shoved to his feet and shuffled his way to his room without a word.
"How can you just sit there and watch this?" Jim spat through clenched teeth moments after the door closed. "He needs a doctor to look at his eyes. We have to find out if this blindness is permanent."
"No doctors." Illya said.
"Brackett could..."
"No."
"But...."
"Listen, caveman," Illya said. "Do you think Denna hasn't located your friends? You must realize she's got a tail on each and every one of them by now. You call them in and she'll be right behind. No doctors. No Brackett. No way."
JIm absorbed that, then nodded. "He didn't eat a thing, you know?"
"Yes."
"That dancing thing he's doing, it scares the hell out of me."
"I know."
"You're right, Illya. He's already gone."
"While he's breathing there is hope."
Jim slouched in on himself. "Wish I could belive that."
Jim leaned against the bedroom door, giving himself a second for his sensitive eyes to adjust to the darkness and just study the fading man lying on the bed.
"Don't bury him under your guilt, Caveman." Illya's parting words whirled in his head. "Don't steal his manhood. He needs to know he can manage on his own."
Is that what I'm doing? Hovering? God help me, I don't know what to do to help him.
"Are you just going to stand over there and stare at me?"
Jim glided across the thick carpet to the bed and settled down beside Blair. "Thought you were sleepng."
"Yeah right, with my eyes wide open." Blair's lip curled down. "Jim, why are you still here? Why haven't you cut me loose? I'm no good to you like this."
"I'm not going anywhere, Blair."
"It's that guilt thing Johnny mentioned, isn't it?"
"No, Blair." He cupped Blair's cheek, turning his face towards him. "You belong to me. With me."
Grunting, Blair shook his head. "Not now. Maybe not ever. I'm a liability. I'll get you killed."
"You're wrong there. Nothing, not even this can take you away from me. We'll get through it, Blair. I promise you. We'll find a way."
"What if I don't want to?" Blair shifted onto his side, his back to Jim. "What if I...."
Jim jerked him back around, pinning him under his bigger body. "Doesn't matter one twit to me what you want right now, Blair."
Blair flailed Jim's chest. "Stop. Let go. I can't breathe."
"Knock off the crap, sweetcheeks." Jim gave him a tiny shake. "You committed to me in front of Cap and the others and by damn you are going to hold your end up. Do you understand? You are my guide. Do you hear me? You are my guide. You are not....not going to wallow in self pity one minute longer. Hear me?"
A tear splashed Blair's cheek, stilling him.
"Jim?" He touched the wetness on his face, then, a look of horror filling his eyes, sought the other man's cheek. "Oh, god Jim. What are we doing to each other?"
Jim rolled away, flinging an arm over his eyes. "Go to sleep, Blair."
Blair fell silent for several minutes, his own breathing ragged. Finally he heaved a soul shuddering sigh and began to speak, "I was taken from Niaomi right after I was born, you know?" His voice was soft as a whisper, the words forced through a tight throat. "The master...Benny, figured it was best to break the family ties immediately, but he didn't know how strong mom felt toward me. She would sneak around in the shadows, watching, taking every chance to let me know she was there."
"Blair, you don't have to do this," Jim told him, knowing he was lying, knowing he needed to hear the words, knowing Blair would not stop. Not now the dam was shattered.
"I remember she used to bring me stuff. I got my first taste of chocolate from her. Learned which herbs did what, you know? She was a healer. Wanted to pass the gift to me.
"It was her love that got me away from the club from time to time. Her last owner freed her." He laughed. "Married her, by god. And as a wedding present, Waverly tried to get me back for her. That's how I met Naps and Illya. They're good men, Jim. Devoted to each other. But I never slept with either one of them. They wouldn't have it. Said it dishonored my mom's wishes."
Blair went silent for a moment. "She's dead now. Illya tries to tell me she's coming soon, but I know." Another long pause. "She came to me after she died. Told me goodbye."
"Illya told me that she was gone."
Blair nodded. "Kind of figured he had. Anyway, I was turned over to Lou when I was seven. To learn the tricks of the trade."
"Seven?" Jim rolled Blair back into his arms. "That's criminal."
Blair shrugged. "Slaves are livestock, not considered human. And the johnnies like young meat. Think they would take us eariler if it weren't for the risk of killing us.
Jim brushed a kiss over Blair's brow. "No one's gonna treat you like that again, Blair. I swear it."
"It wasn't so bad. They start us out with the the nine or ten year olds. Boys that had been through the training. Most of them were careful enough."
"This trainer was your first lover?"
Blair shook his head. "No ties, remember? The trainers did a rotation thing. If anyone seemed to be getting close to one of the other boys, we were taken to Lou." Blair's tormented laugh twisted Jim's heart. "He'd...explain the error of our ways."
"That bastard. If I hadn't already killed him I'd do it over again. Real slow."
"By the time I was nine and starting my own stint as a trainer, I was pretty sure how life was lived. Managed to avoid the wrath of the overseers by simply staying out of the way of everyone. That was when I started putting together the demon dance. Would lock myself away in the commons and just dance and dance. The others sort of stayed away from me after a couple weeks of that. Course once the johnnies got wind of it they made a run on my ass.
"Nine?" Jim choked on the word. "They turned you out at nine?"
Blair grinned sadly. "Being fucked sideways was better than being beaten. Wasn't long before I figured out I could fuck my way out of whatever trouble came my way."
Blar tipped his head up toward Jim. "Then I met you and the whole thing just fell apart. You don't play by the rules, you know? You don't drop your pants for me like johnnies are supposed to. And it's not like Illya and Naps either. I know you want me. I can feel you wanting me right now, but you won't do a damn thing about it, will you? You want to know about me and nothing as meaningless as sex is gonna put that aside, is it? You want more than a quick bit. And you're just gonna keep pushing till you have it, aren't you?"
"That's right, Blair. I want to be that first great relationship. I want to be your lover, not just another johnnie. I want you're trust. And I will have it."
"I'm a slave, Jim. No matter how many papers you get saying different, I don't think I can be anything else. My training is too set. And slaves are killed for getting attached.
"Is that why you don't want to see?" Jim asked softly. "Is that why you won't let yourself see? Because you think I won't keep a blind man as my guide and lover?"
Blair went still in his arms. "I can't see because I can't see. Can't get much simpler. I'm blind. End of story."
"Is it?"
"Is it?" Blair whispered hoarsely. "What does that mean? Is it? You think I'm lying? Pretending to be blind? Is that what your saying? You think I'm pretending?"
Jim scowled. "Blair...."
"I can't believe you said that." Blair hit him with a hurt look. "I can't even think...."
"Stop." Jim rolled Blair under him, silencing him with a rough kiss. "You need to stop. Do you hear me? You need to stop putting a wall of anger between us."
Blair pressed trembling fingers to his pouty lips. "I don't know how." Tears welled in searching, sightless eyes and he cupped Jim's face in his hands. "This is all so foreign to me. So different from what I've known all my life. I don't know what is expected of me in your world."
Jim caught a tear on his tongue. "No expectations, Blair." He nuzzled Blair's neck, tasting his jawline with a slow nipping lick
Blair groaned, arching up into the larger body. "But there are," he whispered. "Expectations I'll never be able to meet. I don't know how."
"I'm here for you, sweetcheeks. Lean on me."
Blair trembled violently, shaking his head. "Been there. Done that. Can't afford the heart ache, man. Trusting you tears me to shreds."
Jim captured Blair's lips in a possessive, hungry kiss, silencing the fear-laced words. "Hang onto me, sweetcheeks," he said, cradling his guide in his arms. "I'm probably our worst enemy, but I won't let anything happen to you." His lips brushed the sterile bandage covering the wound at Blair's temple. "Forgive me for hurting you, Blair. I'd give my life to reverse it, but that's not how it works.
Blair's fingers butterflied over Jim's face. "Jim," he husked. "Jim, I need...." His words drowned under a torrent of tears. Turning his face away, he squirmed to free himself from arms that clung like glue.
"Stop, Blair." Jim eased more of his weight on the fragile body beneath him. "Talk to me. What do you need?"
Shaking his head, Blair curled up under his sentinel's heavy weight and quietly cried himself to sleep.
Casting his sense of hearing out, Jim listened to the sounds of silence outside their bedroom and made a decision.
Moving in small stages, so he didn't wake the sleeping man curled against his chest, he eased off the bed. A predator's stealth had him across the room and out the door to the living room. He scanned the darkened room for signs of where their hosts and found himself completely along.
Not giving himself a moment to change his mind, he crossed to the phone and dialed.
"Command." Cap's voice had a sharp edge of worry to it.
"Panther one reporting in."
"Jim?" That one word held a wealth of relief. "Jim. Is that really you? We found your truck abandoned on the street. Thought.... Where the hell is the hole you fell into? Are you and the kid all right? Dammit, Jim answer me, will ya?"
"Give me a chance to get a word in and I will, Cap." Jim said in a hushed voice. "Did Johnny and Chet get the papers?"
Silence
"Cap?"
"There were no papers, Jim," Hank said. "The room had been rifled when they arrived. The papers are gone until we can get a new set processed."
Jim slumped down into the nearest chair. "But that means...."
"We don't know what it means for sure. Dammit Jim, where are you? We need to send a guard?"
"I don't know."
"You don't.....Jim, what the hell is going on? What have you stepped into this time?"
"Cap, trace this call. Blair...he's hurt....Needs Kel and Johnny..."
"Already doing that. What happen? The kid fall down the hole you're hiding in?"
Jim closed his eyes, replaying the terrible moment again in his mind.
"Jim...?"
"I shot him, Cap."
"What?"
"I shot him. We were struggling over the gun. The gun went off. I shot him."
"How bad?"
Silence.
"Jim, how bad is he?"
"That's not the point, Cap. Blair's my guide, Cap. I promised him I'd protect him. I won't let anyone put him down."
"Jim, answer the question. How bad is the kid?"
A beat of silence.
"Dammit, Jim..."
"It was a head shot. A graze. He should have come out of with a headache, tops."
"Jim, you're scaring me now. Give me the kid's condition. Now."
"He's blind. Totally blind."
"Christ." Cap said softly. "Okay, I have a lock on your position. I'm dispatching Marco and Joe to your location."
Sweepers. "No."
"Jim, listen to me. We need to clean up this mess. I know you feel strongly about the kid, but a blind guide....No way."
"I'll kill 'em, Cap," Jim said. "I'll kill anyone who tries to hurt him. You send Johnny and Kel. And tell then that they better be bringing aid and comfort not a hot shot. You got that? No one is gonna hurt Blair and live. No one."
"Yeah, Jim. I got it. I"I'll make sure everyone knows."
"And, Cap. Tell them to watch for tails. Don't bring Denna and her goons down on us. Blair has had enough." Jim slid the phone home and turned to face Napoleon's grim expression.
"You really are a dumb fuck, aren't you?"
Jim whirled around, his eyes flashing blue fire. "I have had enough of you, Solo. Blair needs help, dammit. We need to know his true condition."
"His true condition?" Napoleon minced. "You've sealed his condition, you stupid jerk. Denna has eyes everywhere. She's sure to be watching tis apartmetn for him to show up. What do you thinki will happen when your blasted doctor shows up here."
Jim's lips curled back in a sneer. "I've heard it all before, Solo. How do I know you're right?"
Napoleon tipped his head, staring down his nose at the sentinel. "You'd risk Blair's life on the possibility that I might be wrong?"
Jim barreled into the sardonic man, his momentum carrying them into the wall. He pinned Solo in place with a harsh forearm to Napoloeon's throat. "Now you listen to me," he growled. "That man is the most important person in my life. I'd risk anything....anything at all if it might give him a chance to see again."
"If you can keep your own people from giving him a...what did you call it? A hot shot, don't you mean?"
"They won't."
"Yeah? Keep saying it. Maybe you'll convince yorself."
"What's going on out here?" Illya demanded, dragging Jim off his partner. "Can't you two get along? If for nothing else, for Blair?"
"Not with Bright Boy here doing deadly stunts." Napoleon snarled, straightening his suit. "The fool decided to break out blanket of silence. Called his HQ and gave them our location."
"Damn." Illya hit the guest bedroom door running. "Blair, move it hot stuff. We're out of here."
"Wha...?" Blair bolted up in bed, his unseeing gaze darting around the room. "Illya, what...?"
"You have to get up, prety one." Illya grabbed the dancer's flailing hand, tugging him gently to his feet. "We've been outed by the caveman to his people."
"Jim wouldn't do that." Blair said, letting Illya slip him into his clothes. "Jim, tell them, man. Tell them you wouldn't...."
"I caught him on the phone to them, Blair," Napoleon said gently.
"I don't believe it. Jim...?"
"Listen, Blair...."
Blair shook his head. "Tell them you wouldn't betray me like that. Tell them they got it wrong."
Jim stood in silence.
"Tell them you wouldn't betray me."
"Blair...."
"Tell them, you bastard," Blair hissed. "Tell...me."
"You need a doctor, Blair." Jim said. "I did what I thought was best for you."
"Oh God," Blair slumped in Illya's arms. "Oh God. Illya, get me out of here."
"Blair...."
"No, Ellison," he shot him down. "Don't say anything more, man. Just....don't."
"Blair, listen to me...."
Blair shook his head. "Illya, let's go, man. Take me out of here."
"Take my arm." Illya guided Blair's hand to his arm and started toward the door with Napoleon and Jim trailing after. A sudden loud knock froze the men in place.
"They're here," Blair breathed. "Illya, Naps, take the back way out. I don't want you caught in the middle."
"It's this way," Illya said, then stopped moving as Blair's hand fell away. "Blair...?"
"I'd just slow you down," he explained. "You get out of here."
"Leave you here?" Napoleon snapped. "With him? Not going to happen, Blair Baby. Not even a little bit."
"Johnny and Kel are not a danger to him." Jim returned, heading for the door.
"You better be right. If they even look at him cross-eyed they'll die. And you will be right behind them."
Jim met Napoleon's hard stare. "If Blair gets hurt, I'd welcome it."
"Well, if nobody's leaving will somebody just please let them in before they take out the door." Blair said softly.
Jim exchanged cold glares with the two older men, then, drawing his gun, opened the door.
"About time, Ellison," Johnny said, pushing into the room with Kel at his heels. Joe Early and Marco brought up the rear.
"What are they doing here?" Jim demanded, glaring at the cleaners with open distrust.
"Cap thought you might need some guards," Johny explained, taking Blair's elbow. "Let's set you down here on teh sofa, Blair. Let Doc get a good look at what's going on, okay?"
"Illya...." Blair rasped, curling his fingers tighter around Illya''s arm.
"It's okay, shavlave," Illya cooed. "I'm here."
Johnny's questioning glance darted to Jim. Jim glared back at him silently.
"Relax, Blair," Brackett said in his best bedside voice. We're here to help you. Nothing more. Jim made himself crystal clear regarding you."
"Not that we''ve never been threatened before," Johnny chuckled, tugging the reluctant dancer to the sofa with teh Russian dragged along for good measure. "That protect-the-guide instinct can really get annoying for us nedics from time to time."
Jim followed up, standing behind Blair. His cold eyes carefully monitored each action the paramedics made. Sentinel sensitive ears locked on four sets of heart beats, listening for a sign of deceit. Nostrils flared over each potion that was used on the young man, scenting for anything that might signal a danger
Napoleon took his cue from Jim. From the easy chair, he watched Early and Marco, vigilante for any suspect movement.
Tense minutes later, Bracket set his medical bag aside with a tired sigh and rubbed his face.
"Well?" Jim demanded as the sillence stretched past his breaking point.
Slanting a dark glance toward Jim, Bracket shoved to his feet. "Jim, I don't know how to tell you this....."
Suddenly more afraid than he could ever remember, Jim braced himself. "Give it to me straight. Is....is Blair....Did I...permanently blind him?
Keeping his back to Jim, Brackett exchanged a quick smirking grin with Johnny.
Johnny leaned over and patted Blair's trembling hand. "You're among friends, Blair. You hear me?"
Blair nodded, swallowing hard.
"Kel...." Jim asked.
"Okay." Brackett turned to face Jim. "In a nutshell," he took another stalling breath. "I can't find anything physical that would explain why Sandburg can't see. His eyes react to stimulus. It just doesn't make it to the brain."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm not pretending, Johnny." Blair protested. "I swear. I wouldn't fake this. I...."
"No one is saying your faking this, Blair. It is very real to you. Hysterical blindness is in no way a fun thing."
Hysterical....but that's...."
"Very real to the person living through it, Jim." Brackett finished. "For some reason, Blair does not want to see."
"Impossible. His fear of the dark...."
"Is less than his fear of something else. Jim, the only thing that I can figure is that he is so afraid of you he would face blindness and termination to escape the situation."
"No." Blair's head shot up, eyes blazing. "No, that's not true. Illya..." His hand fluttered searchingly over the Russian's arm. "Illya tell them."
"It's.....all right, Blair," Jim said softly. "I should have realized...."
"No. Why are you listening to them? Jim, I don't....hate you. God, why won't you listen to me?" Sudden insight brightened his pale feaures. "Oh, I get it. I know why they're saying this. It's so simple...Jim, they want you to..."
"Dont worry about it, Blair," Jim said, his voice tired. "It's all right. After what I've put you through....Well hell...."
"Jim, why don't you get ready to go," Kel said. "Cap wants you back in the fold before....."
"No," Blair lauched himself at Kel, hurling ineffectual punches. "Why are you doing this? Stop lying to him. Stop, do you hear?"
Early wrenched the hysterical dancer from Brackett's chest, twisting his arms behind his back. "Johnny, sedate the guide."
Johnny glanced at Brackett. Brackett gave one, curt nod and after a heartbeat's hesitation, Johnny picked up the prepared srynge.
"I'm gong to need an arm, Joe," Johnny said grimly.
"No," Blair whispered. "God, don't. Johnny, please..."
"It's all right, Blair," Johnny crooned. "You'll just go to sleep. I promise. Just go to sleep."
"Jim...?"
The sentinel remained silent.
Blair's struggles ceased. "Okay. Okay, I won't fight. Please, let me go. I won't resist."
Johnny nodded to Early and the cleaner released Blair's arms. Blair rolled up his sleeve. "Quick, right?"
"Very." Johnny said, wiping a small bit of skin with an anitceptic. "Ready?"
Blair drew a shaky breath. "Wish I could have danced one more time." He nodded. "Okay, should I lie down?"
"There'll be time."
"Okay." He held out his arm. "Ready."
Johnny's hand brushed Blair's arm, startling him.
Blair's laugh carried on a nervous breath. "A little scared here, you know? Jim? Jim, please. Would you....hold me while....while it's done. It would be...easier if I could go to....to sleep in your arms. Jim....?"
Arms wrapped around him. "I'm here, shavlave."
"Oh.....Ilya. Okay.....I...."
Another hand pulled him into stronger arms. "Blair belongs to me."
A sad smile whispered over Blair's lips and his fingers traced strong, familiar features. "You're the closest I ever came to.....trust, Jim." He stretched up, tugging Jim into a sexless kiss. "Okay, Johnny. Do it."
"Just a little stick, Blair." The needle rested on his arm, not breaking yet, but there, waiting. "Almost done."
Blair shuddered. "Just do it," he whispered, his voice husked by unshed tears.
Snatched into the air and tossed into Illya's waiting arms, Blair yelped. Jim snatched the deadly hypo from unresisting fingers, shoving Johnny away with a hand to his neck. "I told you what I'd do if anyone tried to hurt Blair."
"Marco, restrain the sentinel," Early snapped, taking a step toward Blair. He was hit by a whirlwind of anger in a light lesiure suit. Fending off the wildman, Early snarled, "Johnny, get it done."
A gunshot rang out, shocking the combatants in their tracks. Several pairs of eyes turned toward Illya, and Blair shielded by his body. The grimly smiling Russian held an impressive gun on them, and he looked like he knew how to use it.
"Cutting the calvary call a little close, weren't you, Caveman?"
"Better to learn the truth before you attack."
"The truth almost killed Blair."
Jim's eyes flashed fire. "That was never a danger." He turned his angery gaze on Brackett. "But you bastards had this..." He waved the loaded hypo at Kel. "You planned this from the moment you walked in here. You were intending on terminating him no matter what the exam determined, weren't you?"
"He's blind." Kel snapped. "It doesn't matter how he got that way. It doesn't matter that it could rectify itself as qickly as it came. All that matters is that he is blind right now."
"Not to me."
"You think you can take on all four of us?" Marco hissed, taking an aggressive step forward.
"I don't think he has to," Illya said. "We've been protecting our little shavlava for so long already we're not going to step aside now, hey, Naps?"
The dapper man grinned. "Wouldn't know what to do with ourselves if he wasn't around to keep safe."
A flurry of activity at the front door had the men whirling round to see a petite woman and seven armed me barging into the apartment.
"Denna..." Napoleon whispered.
"Isn't this just too touching," the woman said, her lips curling into an ugly sneer. "Illya, Napoleon, I believe you have something that belongs to me."
Jim stepped quickly in front of Blair, Adding his own body to the barracade Illya formed between Blair and this newest danger. "There's nothing and no one here for you."
Denna tilted her head to the left, smiling darkly. "You think...not?"
"I know not."
"Well then you must be working from mis-information. I've come to retreive my dancer. The whore you stole from my father's....establishment."
"I rescued him at the cost of a thousand dollars cash, lady," Jim snarled. "The sale was legit."
"You have a bill of sale, then?" she smiled at his silence. "No, I thought not. Father would never sell our fey little dancer. He has....had a tender for the boy."
Jim tossed a look over his shoulder, and saw the color drain from Blair's face. The woman had struck a nerve with that shot.
"They were....lovers?"
"Yes." she responded.
"No...not like..." Blair stammered.
"Blair, darling. Don't lie. You know you slept with daddy more times than not...And with Lou, if daddy was of a mind to share your sweet ass."
"Like I could say no," Jim caught Blair's muttered words. Saw the distraught man sway as even more color poured from his face. "Like I ever wanted to be beaten until I passed out from it." his voice raised, reaching a panicked pitch. "Like I liked being cut open so they could gather my blood and make me drink it again. My own blood, for god's sake."
"Jesus...." Marco whispered, losing a bit of his own color.
Blair laughed harshly. "I've almost forgotten the taste of pufferfish venom, ya know. Almost forgotten...." He snapped his teeth shut over the memories spilling out of him and lifted his face to the ceiling, sighing. "All right. I'm ready. I can't do this any longer anyway. I don't belong on the outside."
Blair made to move away from the two men protecting him, but Jim blocked his path. "You are a free man, Blair. You don't belong to her."
"Is that so?" Denna smirked, holding out a delicately manicured hand. "Well then we can clear this up real fast, can't we. All Blair has to do is show me his papers and he proves your claim."
Jim grimaced. "I...."
"I lost them."
Denna smiled broadly. "No papers. No proof. I suggest you return my property. Daddy is being buried tomorrow. It was his final request that Blair join him in his final rest."
"You intend to bury Blair with....." Johnny rose and moved forward to join Jim and Illya. "I can't go along with that, Joe. No way.
"He will be tranquilized," Denna said. "He won't be afraid."
"Alive?" Illya snarled. "You mean to bury him alive. that's...monsterous."
"Daddy's request was very explicit. I'm stretching it by allowing the medication to ease his fear." She smiled a little sadly. "But Blair was always a favorite of mine. His dancing had a certain magic in it."
"Stop talking like he's already dead." Jim snarled.
"I already am, Jim," Blair said. "There's not a single law that will save me in time. Don't make this any harder than it has to be."
Blair took another step. Jim grabbed his arm and dragged him back, thrusting him behind his body into Johnny's arms. "Stay put, sweetcheeks. You are not her slave any longer. And she's not exactly equiped to take you away from us. Not with Early and Lopez to back us up."
Early shook his head. "No can do, Jim. Our orders are to terminate the guide. sounds like this lady will be more than capible of doing that for us."
"Jim, it's over, man," Blair said through a sigh. "Let it go. You can't win."
"Not a chance."
"Illya, Naps, tell him...."
"We would, but whose gonna tell us, Blair Baby," Napoleon said. "We're not backing down. Your mother would ahunt us for the rest of our lives."
"No?" Denna smiled. "You think your partnership with my father will protect you? I don't care...." She snapped her fingers. "....That much about that agreement. It was dissolved with my father's death. Hand Blair Over...Now."
Jim braced his feet under him, taking aim. "I don't think so. Illya, Napoleon, take him out the back way."
A rush of feet behind them canceled that idea before it could take shape. everal men, heavily armed and dangerous-looking appeared in the back hall.
Denna tilted her head, her smile cold. "Blair, come to me."
Sighing, the young dancer nodded. "Okay. Yeah, just don't hurt anyone else."
"No...." Jim protested, making a grab for Blair.
Early interceded, disarming Jim and pinnning his arms behind his back. Marco and Brackett followed suit, drawing down on Illya and Napoleon.
"What's happening?" Blair demanded, hesitating.
"Blair, don't do this."
"Jim, I'm sorry, man. Ya gotta understand...I.." his voice broke. "I'm sory..."
"You bastards," Jim raged, storming like a furious panther through the living room. "You god damn fucking bastards." he repeated, taking Early down with a solid sock to the jaw.
Marcos sprang to his partner's defense and was sounded put our with a jarring kick to the groin. Jim turned on Johnny and Brackett, eyes flashing.
"You want some of me, too?" he spat out the words.
Johnny held his hands out before him. "No way, Jim. Figure those two deserved what you just gave 'em."
Jim paused his prowling and studied the Native american through narrowed eyes. "Yeah?"
"Jim, I liked the kid, too. I don't like what's being done here."
"I'm going after him."
"Finally got to that point, did you?" Illya asked, looking up from polishing his gun. He glanced at Napoleon. "Was wondering how long it would take him to mellow down enough to think straight."
"It's a sentinel thing," Johnny explained. "They're so tuned to their senses and their guides through those senses, they go off at the slightest hint of danger to their guide."
"I've heard sentinels can be downright dangerous if they feel the gide is in danger," Napoleon said, nodding. "Now I begin lto understand some of what's been going on here."
"Hey," Jim snarled, waving his hand before Illya's eyes. "News flash, you jerks. I'm here. don't talk about me like I'm some sort of experiment under a microscope."
Illya gave a careless shrug. "Know you're here, caveman. Just don't know how much of your brain has re-engaged. You up to gettng down to a plan, or do you need to take out some more agression on those two?"
Jim turned a vicious grin on Early who was just beginning to come around. "Guess I can hold off for a bit on that." he Joined Illya on the couch. "So anyone have an inkling of a plan?"
Napoleon and Illya exchanged evil grins.
"Here's what we're gonna do..." Napoleon said, leaning over to close the distance between him and the others.
A low growl erupted from Jim's tightly ground teeth as a huge goon slugged Blair, knocking him cold. Blair was lifted up and tossed into the waiting pexiglass covered casket>
Sentinel sight recorded the young man stirring, coming awak. The horrified realization of where he lie, and who shared the confined space with him flickered over a pale face. Blair's screams cut the eerie silence of the grave.
"Jesus..." Johnny whispered, "They said they'd tranq him. They promised...."
"And you believed her?" Jim rasped. "More fool you are."
"Yeah, well, I know enough to keep my head down and not get it blown off before we can extract the kid." Johnny said, dragging Jim lower.
"He....He's freaking out," Jim whispered. "Can you hear him? The screams?"
Johnny threw him a worried glance. "Dial down your hearing, Jim. Jim, do you understand? Dial down to normal hearing."
"He...God, he's crying. He thinks I've left him to die." Tears welled in Jim's eyes. "He thinks he's all alone."
Several men postitioned the casket over the grave site and lowered it into the ground.
Jim trembled, his big body bunching to spring out of hiding. Two hands grasped his forearms, holding him in place.
"The plan, Caveman." Napoleon hissed, stick to the plan."
Jim nodded. "I just hope there is enough air."
The four concealed men waited in impatient determination through the half hour sermon. Waited another half hour while the grievers made their lsow departures. Waited through yet a thrid half hour while the dirt was dumped back in sealing Blair and his grim companion in eternal rest. Waited a bit longer for everything to get quiet.
Blair shook off the grogginess and knew he'd run out of time. The chill body beneath him. The scent of death in the small confines of his dying place.
There would be no repreive this time. No second chances.
But, God, he didn't want to die. Not like this. Not like this.
A low keening rang in his ears and he knew it was him. His screams falling on deaf ears. Heard only by the dead. By his master, and himself.
God help him. Not like this.
A silent tear slipped from sightless eyes as he felt the box being lowered. All to soon the first thump of dirt hitting the casket greeted his straning ears.
It was really going to happen. There was no one to save him this time. He'd run out of time. Too late for anything else.
The sounds of the burial grew faint, finally dying away. And a calm descended on him. He closed his eyes and waited for the air to run out.
"That's it." Jim snapped, bolting form concealment. "I won't wait any longer. We've got to get him out of there."
Illya, Johnny ad Napoleon were right on his heels as Jim darted down the hill toward where the digging equipment was stored.
Jim sprang onto the big tractor, sighing his releif when his hand found the key. "Get some shovels, picks, whatever and bring them along." he shouted over the roar of the engine.
Shoving the heavy tractor into gear, he headed for the gravesite.
Blair stirred restlessly in his semi-conscious state.
What was that? Digging?
He laughed, softly at first, then hysteria caught him up and the laughter of insanity burst from him.
He was going to die. No matter what his desperate mind tried to tell him in an effort to comfort him, he was going to die.
Exhausting himself, he slipped deeper into unconsciousness.
"I've hit something." Johnny shouted, dropping to his knees and moving the dirt with frantic hands. "We've got him, Jim. Help me."
Jim dropped down shoving great mounds of dirt aside to reveal the glassed top.
And Blair, lying as still as death.
Attacking the dirt at the edge of the casket, Jim burrowed like a badger, flinging the moist ground away from the hasp that would free his lover.
Moments later, he popped the lid. His desperate hands dragged Blair's limp body from the box of death. Frantic hands searched for a pulse, a stirring in the too stil chest, and found what he was looking for.
"He's alive." Jim choked on his tars, buring his fance in the long burnt seinna curls. "He's alive."
Napoleon crouched down next to Jim. "Take him back to the safe house. Illya nad I will cover up our little digging expedition. Let Denna think she succeeded."
Jim looked up, his tears flowing, streaking dirt and grime down his pale face. "Thanks, Naps. I couldn't have done this without...."
"Yeah, now go. Get him out of here before he comes out of it. don't let him wake up here."
Jim nodded, gathering his limp lover in a tight enbrace and smiling. "He's alive. That's all that matters."
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