Broken Fingers

Blair rested his head against the cool glass of the truck door.  He'd rather rest his head there, keeping his eyes closed then to see Jim glance at him and seath at him.  Every muscle hurt but his hands, his hands ached.  What was starting to be a fun night out with friends wound up close in putting him six feet under.  When was he going to learn.

“It's your nature.” Jim answered the spoken words that were mumbled behind a veil of curly hair.

It was ten in the morning and he was taking Blair home from the hospital.  Not that was something unusual for him.  Taking Blair home from the hospital part, it was how he got there.  It wasn't for being with Jim, while he was duty.  He wasn't a revenge factor to use Blair against him or show him a lesson.  It was an act of violence, chosen at random. 

Blair had gone out clubbing with a few friends he knew from school.  What was unique about the groups is was that they were all men and were going to the gay bars down along a strip of clubs.

Jim knew from the beginning that Blair swung in both directions of sexual pleasure.  Some nights he dated a girl he met on campus or out and about, or he as meeting up with a guy. 

Last night Sandburg met with a group of guys and they went to Mitch's, a mixed club, known for their music.  After awhile, Blair had been dancing with various partners, both female and male that a young man took up Blair's time on the floor.  After awhile, he convinced Blair to step out of the club and go to a quieter place to talk.  While they walked, Blair was jumped and dragged down an alley.  Four men started to beat Blair up.  Two took his hands and broke four of his fingers.  The other two, kicked and punched him.  They were scared away when a car came down the alley, using it as a short cut.  The scurried out of the alley, leaving Blair semi-conscious.

Jim was called by the dispatcher from Cascade PD.  He didn't know how he got dressed, and if he broke any driving laws to make it to the hospital.  Last thing he remembered was Kelly telling him that Blair was being taken to the hospital when he stepped into the emergency room.

He went to the desk and got the nurses attention.  “I'm here about Blair Sandburg.”

The nurse looked at the listing, taking her time.  Jim was about to blow when Simon came up behind him.  “He's this way.”

Jim had turned and Simon led him away from the desk.  “How is he .. they said he had been beaten.”

“He's been made a punching bag.  Bruises all over.  The worst thing is his hands.”

“Hands?”

“They broke four of his fingers.”

Jim stopped and looked at Simon.  “What the hell for?”

Simon didn't know.  He didn't even know who had done it to Blair. 

“Where's Blair?”

“Down the hall.  Vice is waiting to question him.  It's their investigation.  Seems these guys have been doing this every Saturday night for the last two months.”

They approached the last room.  Jim nodded to Detective Raines.  They had not served together but had worked together. 

“There's a doctor with him now.” Raines told them.

“Any leads on the perps?” Jim asked.

“All we have are sketchy details of the initial contact person.  Mr. Sandburg may be able to help.  Most of the victims have been hurt so badly that they have been unconscious for sometime and have no short term memory.

Over the course of the morning, the doctor had Blair's fingers taped up.  Blair did remember some details that had not been reported previously about the contact man.  Blair was released into Jim's care.  Now they were on their way home to the loft.

“It's my nature?” Blair asked, moving his head to look at Jim.

Jim sucked in some air.  He shouldn't have said that.  But it was partially true.  Blair, and he, were natural bad karma magnets.  If something bad was going to go down, some how they were involved.  “We attract it.  Look what has happened to us in the last few years, we've been kidnapped, drugged, used against each other.  People take out their aggressions on us.”

Blair nodded then laid his head against the glass once more.  “I was thinking of that in the hospital.  Why me?  Ya'know?  I could count the number of times that I had been in the emergency room in the last year.  This is getting so ... old.”

Jim agreed.  He turned into the lot at the apartments and parked the pick-up.

Jim moved quickly to get to Blair's side of the truck and help him out of the seat belt and out of the truck.  Bringing an arm around Blair's waist, he helped him in and into the elevator.

Blair gave a clearing breath once they got into the loft.  Home.  He was home in one piece.

Jim helped him to the sofa and eased him down to sit.  Knowing the routine, Jim pulled out the different vials of medication that were given to make Blair comfortable.  He pulled out the pain medication and pulled out a bottle of water from the fridge.

Blair sat there looking at his bandaged hands.  He shook his head a little.  So much taken in the act from him in the act of breaking his fingers.  He couldn't write, drive his car, type on his computer; he couldn't change the tv remote without fancy thinking.

“Here you go Chief.”  Blair looked up to see the pills.  Opening his mouth, Jim gave him the pills and held the bottle of water to his lips.  Blair gave a small nod and he pulled the bottle back.

Blair looked down again, at his hands.  He raised them a little, smarting from the bruises that ran up his arms.  “This is going to really suck.  You can't do anything with your hands like this.  Heck, I can't even take a damn leak without a nurse maid.”

Jim was waiting for the donning to come to Blair.  He knew from talking to the doctor, that he was going to become Blair's second skin for the next few weeks.  He kneeled before Blair, to get into his field of vision.  “Blair?  Don't let them win.  Don't let them demoralize you.  You've walked away from worse things.”

Blair looked at him, tears coming to his eyes, but not shed.  Jim laid his hands lightly on Blair's arms.  “Don't let them take away who you are?”

“Who am I?”

Jim smiled, “You are my Guide.  My friend.  You are the light that gives to anyone who needs it.”  Jim continued, “You love life, you love the whole spectrum.  You hate narrow mindedness and you show those who are that they are missing the whole picture.”

Blair realized that he had made Jim a believer of the whole spectrum idea.  “When did you realize that?” He asked.

“I'm not narrow minded, I was in the army, remember?  I've seen beyond this city, state, and country.  Some people are so narrow minded that they think the tourists are terrorist.”

Blair looked at his raised hands.  “Want to add nurse maid to your job description?”

** ** **
Blair woke up on the couch.  He didn't know what hurt most, the throb in his hands or the rest of his body.  The lamp was turned on, casting light and shadow across the room.  Jim was in the overstuffed chair reading a book.  He looked over and smiled at Blair.

“Need the facilities.” Blair commented.

Jim stood up and helped Blair up.  They had worked on getting him into comfortable clothes earlier, sweats.  Jim stood behind Blair and handled his most personal extremity.  If it wasn't so needed, Blair would have been blushing from embarrassment.

Jim tried to keep his mind aloft of what he was doing, fondling his best friend.  Not that he had fantasies of touching Blair, but it was just a wrong situation to be doing it in.  He straightened Blair's clothes and they headed back into the living room.  “Want something to eat?  You didn't eat much at dinner.”

Blair was still having trouble letting himself let Jim “do” everything for him.  He didn't like being dependent on Jim so much.  He shook his head as he sat back down on the sofa.    He laughed, thinking of how many times the sofa had been used by one of them to start the recouping process. 

“What's that about Chief?” Jim questioned as he saw the smirk on Blair's face.

“Thinking how much sleep time we have logged on this couch.”

“To much,” Jim commented as he straightened his back, thinking of the stiff back he got sleeping on it.  “Want to see what is on TV?”

“Why not, not like I can read a book, can't hold it nor turn the pages.  Not like I can work on my laptop, can't type.”

Jim turned on the TV and started through the channels, he waited to hear the aye or nay from his roommate to see if the show appeased him.

They settled on a travel show that talked about secluded spots to visit.

Blair settled on the couch once more, slowly going to sleep.

Jim turned off the TV and started to secure the loft: checking locks, turning off lamps, standing before the large windows, looking over Cascade, his city. He looked back towards the couch and looked away.  He couldn't understand why Blair was so easily targeted.

@ 2005 Tommy Boy fan fiction * design and content by Paula C. *