This story follows Dying and Heartbeat. Please read them first, or you will have no context for what is happening.

Okay, he's zoned.

Hmmm. What did he zone on?

Well, he was looking at me, right? So he zoned on me? Hmmm.

Let's see. Sight. What was he looking at, exactly? My face? My hair? Maybe my eyes? Hearing. He likes to listen to my heartbeat. I know that. Touch. Well, he wasn't actually touching me, so we can rule that out. Unless... Nah, not very likely. Taste. Definitely not. Smell? Well, that's a possibility.

So. Touch and taste are definitely not involved. Actually, shaking him almost always works, but that tends to startle him, makes him grumpy. Don't want to do that, now that he's finally here.

So... Taste? Maybe I could kiss him... Ooooh, you are definitely not Sleeping Beauty material, Jim. Though that would be funny. Like in the ballet? Those loose, flowing, semi-long skirts? I would be in one of those tight fitting tights, and...

Oh, oh, better stop laughing before somebody comes running to see what's the matter.

Still not coming out of it, are you? Well, want to bring you out gradually, so... Guess we should get you comfortable, huh? Where'd the chair go? Oh, there. Okay, here you go, nice and easy. There.

Now what?

It's kinda nice, you know, to see you like this. When was the last time I just looked at you? Ever since you got shot at that convenience store, ever since you first saw the spotted jaguar, you've been so edgy, so jumpy. I snuck around you, not knowing what was going to set you off next. What could I have done to get through to you? To make you open up to me?

Okay, Blair, enough. Recrimination isn't helping, here. Got a more immediate problem to take care of. The nurses are going to be making night rounds, right? Wonder when the next one is? Got to get Jim out of this before somebody finds him like this.

"Jim? Jim? Can you hear me? Where'd you go?"

So nice, to touch his face like this. Yes, there's the JimSmell I love so much. My senses might not be enhanced, but it's still so good to crawl into his lap and let his smell, his warmth, surround me. Oops, this arm is heavy. There, mmmm, hmph! Yes, that's right.

So good to feel your heart beating against my cheek, Jim. What does my heartbeat sound like to you? You can hear it from clear across the room, several rooms, in fact, but you still like to press your head against my heart. Guess tactile sensation is different from hearing, huh?

You are here. Finally. We can heal. Finally. I can feel your body. I can touch it. It's warm. Firm muscles and soft skin. It's comfortable here, and safe, like it should be. Like it always was, and always will be.

This is where I belong.

Oh, did that hand just grasp my shoulder?

"Hi, Jim."

"Chief?"

We will be okay. We will.