Blind Hope

by Rexy48

A young girl, blinded after witnessing a murder, starts to display hyperactive senses while in police protection. As Jim attempts to track down the killer, Blair must teach her to cope with her new abilities.

Golen Industries Chemical Plant

8:43pm, Saturday

"Lisa, this won't take long. So just try to stay out of trouble, okay?"

"Okay dad." A twelve-year old with short black hair and dark brown eyes, Lisa Higgins was the only child of Dr. Michael Higgins, a chemist specialist employed at Golen Industries. He had been called back to work to sort out a problem with a recent mercury spilling. Having no relatives or friends to leave Lisa with, he had been forced to take his daughter to work. She didn't mind, though. The employees treated her nice and let her explore pretty much on her own as long as she stayed out of the restricted areas. Which she did … most of the time.

The plant was nearly deserted, and Lisa had free range of the hallways and corridors without having to worry about who might try to stop her. She had always wanted to try a particular path that was always blocked to her before; a nondescript door marked "Radioactive Materials - Authorized Personal Only". Lisa knew the problems that could occur with a radioactive material, yet this was one of the few doors that she had never been allowed in; was anything more appealing to a child than some place they couldn't see or do?

The door swung open easily as Lisa slipped inside, seeing a short, dark corridor that ended at another door. Giddy with excitement she pretended she was a spy, creeping forward while dodging hidden laser beams. At the other door she pretended to pick a sophisticated lock, then opened it and let out a quiet gasp of awe.

The room was huge; nearly three stories tall and containing hundred of barrels, some of which had the yellow radioactive symbol. Wisely staying away from the sections with those barrels, Lisa made her way about the room, dodging imaginary bullets and villains until she reached the far back wall. A metal rung ladder led up to a small catwalk halfway up, and she quickly climbed up. From there she was able to see that the radioactive barrels were nearly all lined up against the southern wall. A trailer was in the room against the northern wall, the back open and showing that a few normal barrels had been loaded inside.

"... find out?" Lisa paused as she heard the voice float up to her. Quietly replacing her 'phaser gun', she looked about and spotted two men on the floor below near the trailer. One was wearing overalls common to a carpenter, but without the utility belt. The other was dressed in black slacks and a dark blue shirt, and seemed to be a business executive by the slick haircut and sharp expression on his face.

"They won't find out," the executive was saying. "As long as you follow the schedule. Once a barrel is sealed no one can tell if it is radioactive or not. And disposing of non-radioactive is a hell of a lot cheaper." The other man fidgeted.

"But it's just wrong! No, I'm sorry, but I can't do this anymore. I want out."

"You can't get out," the executive hissed.

"Yes I can! I'll tell the authorities and they'll shut this place down," the non-carpenter man said, backing away. The executive held up a hand as if in surrender.

"Okay, fine. You want out, you're out," he said. The other man's face was one of surprise, then joy. He turned and began to walk away. "Permanently," the executive added, pulling out a gun. The worker whirled around in shock. The sound of the gunshot echoed loudly in the room, and Lisa clutched at her head as she screamed. Ignoring the worker's body as it fell to the ground, the executive looked up and saw Lisa on the catwalk.

"A spy!" he yelled out, raised the gun at her and fired. She screamed again as a bullet whipped by only inches away. This wasn't anything like how her imaginary battles were; this man was really trying to kill her! Another near miss sent her scrambling across the catwalk and down the other side, at the opposite end of where the executive was. She could hear him swearing as he ran after her, but she concentrated only on escaping and warning her father.

"Damn that girl!" Lyle Degussa was not a happy man. Not only was his boss breathing down his back about cutting costs at the plant, he now had a body to dispose of and a witness to silence. He had seen the girl around the plant a few times, probably the daughter of one of the scientists. Which meant she probably knew the plant's layout well enough to hide from him.

"Very well. If she wants to hide in the building, she can. I'll just bring the whole building down." Lyle quickly began to overturn and open some of the barrels containing volatile materials. Hurrying over to the truck exit he opened the door, and the cool night air swept into the room. "Enjoy the fire," he said, and fired his weapon into the room. The explosion ripped through the room, setting off numerous barrels that hadn't been sealed properly, the fire spreading rapidly. Lyle was already safely driving away by the time anyone outside the plant even saw the flames.

Kraner Street

9:02pm

"I just can't believe that Stanz is guilty," Blair Sandburg said for the third time that evening. The man driving the truck to his left sighed slightly. It had been a long day. After finishing up what turned out to be hours of paperwork, there had been questioning witnesses, tracking down possible leads, and examining the crime scene once more. Jim had used his senses for the better part of two hours during that last one, and he was now both physically and mentally tired. He also had the start of a headache but he knew if he told Blair, the man would start yelling at him about overdoing it.

"Sandburg, just because he seems like a nice person doesn't mean he really is. All the evidence is pointing to him. And we've gone over the crime scene three times now, what more proof do you need?" This time Blair sighed, looking out the window. The sun had set thirty minutes ago, but between the streetlights and the natural lights of the night sky, it was still easy to make out the surrounding buildings they passed.

"I know, and your senses don't lie. It just doesn't seem right that--" Blair stopped as he perked up and squinted through the glass to a building in the distance. "Is that a fire?" Jim turned and looked, his eyes focusing in on the far distance. His sense of smell piggybacked on his sight, allowing him to smell the heavy scent of smoke, and chemicals. He dialed down the smell quickly before the odor could affect him. He must've been really tired to not notice that before.

"It is, call it in Chief," Jim said, coughing. "Tell them there are possible chemicals involved." Blair looked at him with concern.

"You okay, Jim?" he asked as he reached for the cell phone.

"Yeah, just took a stronger whiff of the smoke than I planned, but don't worry I already dialed it down." Blair nodded and dialed dispatch. He informed them of the fire and the potential hazard of chemicals. When they arrived a few minutes later, Golen Industries was ablaze, and already some parts of the building had collapsed. The few employees that had been working were outside watching with horror as their hours of work were literally going up in flames. One, a young woman with short brown hair, was talking on a cell phone to someone who sounded like an employer.

Jim parked the truck and he and Blair quickly got out. Blair circled over to Jim's side and placed a hand on his shoulder to ground him. "Jim, reach out with your hearing. Filter out the sounds of the fire. Are there any people still inside?" His sentinel extended his hearing, fading away the sounds of the fire as it ate away at the walls.

"I still hear two heartbeats inside. One is about two hundred feet to the left," Jim pointed, "and the other is about three hundred to the right."

"I'll go left," Blair said. Before he could leave, Jim grabbed his arm.

"Blair, it's too dangerous. Stay here."

"There's no time man! The building might collapse at any minute and I'm not just going to sit here and watch as two people die!" With that Blair took off running. Swearing under his breath Jim took off in the other direction. The smoke was strong, the heat intense, but he dialed down his sense of touch and smell. Although he could barely see, he tracked the heartbeat to a man lying unconscious on the ground. He was wearing a lab coat but there was no ID tag. Jim did a quick scan of the man, not detecting any major problems before grabbing and lifting him up into his arms. He ran outside and placed the victim on the ground, and one of the other scientists hurried over.

"I didn't know Higgins was still working!" she exclaimed. "Where is Lisa?" The sound of the ambulances and fire trucks filled the air as the vehicles came into view.

"Who is Lisa?" Jim asked, standing up.

"She's Michael's daughter," she explained. "She comes in with him sometimes. But I don't see her." A loud explosion rang out as the part of the building Jim had been in collapsed to the ground. As the rescue personnel arrived and began to treat Higgins, Jim looked around, sudden fear running through him. Where was Blair?

Blair had managed to find the victim despite the smoke, a young girl who was half conscious and trapped under a fallen piece of wall. Soot covered her face, and there were bloodstains near her eyes. Knowing time was critical, Blair grabbed the piece of wall and shoved hard against it, but it barely moved. The smoke and fire seemed to get stronger with each passing second; time was running out. Calling upon as many different gods as he could remember to give him strength, he again pushed against the wall as hard as he could, this time freeing the girl. He reached down and grabbed her, surprised at the strength in her grip as she clung to his chest.

As Blair began to back out part of the ceiling collapsed in front of him, cutting off the chance to escape. "Great, just great," he muttered between coughs. "Good going Blair, now what?" He could barely see through the smoke, and unless he received fresh air soon he knew he'd collapse due to smoke inhalation.

"Side passage, left," the girl in his arms whispered, obvious pain in her voice. Not questioning how she might know, only praying she was right, Blair took off to the left, taking a small side passage that ended at a door that opened up to the outside. Just as he stepped out into the fresh air, the rest of the building collapsed behind him. Golen Industries had gone down in a heap of burning ash. Although fatigued and aching, Blair knew the girl would need medical attention, so he hurried over to where he could hear the ambulances. Jim saw him approaching and ran to him.

"Sandburg, are you okay?" he asked, noticing the amount of soot that covered his partner's face and clothes.

"Yeah, but I don't know if she is," Blair said, indicating the girl, who had passed out. A team of paramedics came to Blair, and he tried to loosen the girl's grip, but instead she clung even tighter, despite being unconscious. Realizing she wasn't going to let go, but needed medical attention, Blair asked the medics, "Can you just work this way? I'll ride in the ambulance with her until we get to the hospital." They agreed and Blair stepped inside the ambulance.

"After I finish here, I'll meet you at the hospital," Jim said, and Blair nodded. Jim watched as the doors shut and the ambulance took off toward the hospital before turning back to the situation at hand.

Unknown Location

Unknown Time

Pain. Pain. Stop the pain. It hurts. Please stop it. Thump. What was that noise? Thump, thump. It's so strong, so steady. I wonder where it is coming from? Searching… If I just focus on that sound, then the pain isn't so bad. Thump, thump... Where did it go? Silence. Where is it? Come back! Please I... Thump, thump. There it is, still there. Thump. I'm okay. Thump, thump. As long as I can still hear that, I'll be okay. Thump, thump, thump...

Cascade General Hospital

10:20pm

"How are they?" Blair anxiously asked the doctor. Lisa and her father had been brought in nearly an hour ago, and after the doctors had gently pried Lisa off of Blair's shirt, he had been anxiously pacing the hallway. Jim had arrived a few minutes ago, informing Blair that a HAZMAT team was now on the scene doing cleanup. They had reported no radioactive leaks, due mainly to the strength of the containers holding them. If they had been made of any weaker material, the city would've had a major crisis on their hands. Forensics would be cleared to shift through the ashes as soon as it was deemed safe. Dr. Anges examined the chart in her hands, brushing back a loose strand of her blonde hair.

"The father, one Michael Higgins, is still in surgery," she said, her voice tired. "He seems to have suffered some severe burns to his legs, as well a prolonged inhalation of toxic fumes. Surgeons are attempting to repair the damage to his lungs. His daughter, Lisa Higgins, has suffered a severe trauma to the head caused by a chemical explosion, though we cannot be sure what chemical caused it. Her eyes were damaged, and for now we have them wrapped in medicated gauze to prevent any infection. We don't know when, or even if, she will be able to recover her sight though. She woke up a few minutes ago, and doesn't seem to be suffering any other side affects from the explosion."

"Can we talk with her?" Jim asked.

"You can try," Dr. Anges answered. "But I must tell you she didn't say a single word throughout the initial exam. She did nod or shake her head a few times; but as soon as I was done, she curled under the covers. She will need a lot of rest though, so don't stay long."

"We won't, thank you doctor." She nodded and headed back to the room where Dr. Higgins was being operated on. Jim and Blair headed over to the room Lisa was in. She had been placed in a double room, but currently she was the only occupant. Lisa was lying on the bed, curled in a ball under the covers as Dr. Anges had described.

"Miss Higgins? My name is Detective Jim Ellison," Jim said, entering the room. "May I ask you some questions about the accident?" She didn't say anything, curling a little tighter. Lisa wasn't sure to whom that voice belonged to, and she didn't care. She couldn't see and she didn't know where her dad was and she only wanted to go home. The sounds and smells of this place were starting to make her feel sick.

"Lisa?" She tensed slightly at the new voice, wondering where she had heard it before. "My name is Blair Sandburg. Do you remember what happened?" Where had she heard that voice before? Slowly she sat up.

"Blair?" she whispered. She seemed to remember the name, but couldn't recall.

"That's right. You were at the chemical plant when it exploded. Do you remember that?" She shook her head, frustrated at the lack of memories. The last she knew she had been exploring the chemical plant, and then she had woken up here, unable to see or be with her father. Where was her father? Why couldn't she go to him! Panic started to overwhelm her, but suddenly she heard a gentle, soothing thumping sound. The sounds from the rest of the hospital seemed to fade away as the sound filled her.

"What is that sound?" she asked, looking around for the source, trying to see despite her wrapped eyes. It was the same sound from before, the one that had eased her pain.

"What sound?" Jim and Blair asked in unison.

"It's a steady thumping noise," she answered, her mind calming down as she continued to listen. "Thump, thump," she mimicked, her hand gently tapping the bed. Jim's eyes widened as he realized what she was referring to.

"It's your heartbeat," he whispered to Blair. The young anthropologist's mouth dropped open.

"What?!" he exclaimed.

"Is that what it is?" Lisa asked. "Then it was you who took away my pain," she continued, unable to see the shocked look on their faces. Blair's eyes met Jim's as they both wondered the same thing. Did she really have hyperactive hearing? Blair cautiously approached her. "Lisa, can you hear another drumbeat sound?"

"What?"

"That steady thumbing sound. That is the sound of my heartbeat, but Jim is here too. Can you hear his?" She tilted her head slightly to one side, listening.

"No," she said after a moment. "Should I?"

"No… I guess not." Blair was puzzled. She could hear him but not Jim? Was it possible that it was just a fluke? Could someone have selective hyperactive hearing?

"It was you!" Blair jumped slightly at Lisa's suddenly exclamation. She had finally placed the name and the voice, a memory floating up to her. She had been trapped, a fair princess being attacked by a dragon, but her knight had come and saved her. 'Great, just great,' he had said. 'Good going Blair, now what?' "You were the one who saved me from the dragon's fire!"

"The what?" Jim asked, moving to the other side of the bed. Lisa turned her head to face Blair; and although she couldn't see him, she could hear his heartbeat and could feel the warmth of his body.

"I think she means the fire at the chemical plant," Blair whispered to Jim, but Lisa heard and nodded.

"It was hot, and I was trapped. But my knight came and saved me."

"What else do you remember?" Jim gently asked. Lisa turned her head to him, frowning.

"I … I don't know," she slowly said. "I was exploring the plant and …" She paused as another memory came forward, a man shooting at her. She shrieked and grabbed her head as she remembered running as fast as she could; but before she could get out, there was a loud explosion right by her, and everything went dark … "No!" she cried and jumped forward into Blair's arms. She clutched at his shirt, hanging on for dear life. Jim turned his puzzled eyes to Blair, but the man gently shook his head. He placed a soothing hand on Lisa's back and slowly moved it in a massaging motion.

"Lisa, it's okay. You're safe. Just breathe slowly and deeply, in and out." Lisa followed his advice, and between that and re-establishing the link with his heartbeat, she began to clam down. When she visibly relaxed in his grip, he quietly asked, "What did you see?"

"There was… there were two men, they were arguing. One looked like a carpenter, the other was like an executive, and he shot him. He shot the carpenter, and then he began to shoot at me. I ran away, I had to get to my dad, but there was this loud explosion and then… and then you saved me."

"Miss Higgins, can you describe what they looked like?" Jim asked. When she didn't answer he asked again. "Miss Higgins? Lisa?" He then heard the steady sound. "She's sleeping," he informed Blair.

"The poor girl," Blair commented, gently laying her down on the bed. "Not only was she caught in the explosion, her dad was too, and she can't see him even if she could see." He stood and they began to walk to the door, but stopped when they heard her cry out, "Don't go!" They turned to see her up and awake again.

"Miss Higgins, we have to go to see if anyone else saw something," Jim told her.

"Please, no. Blair, I need you." Blair looked back at the bed, seeing Lisa clutching at the covers tightly, trembling. He whispered to Jim, "How about you call the station and see what's going on? I'll stay here until she falls asleep again. Besides, I don't think she should be alone."

"Sandburg…"

"She's in a strange place and she's alone. If I can help her, then I'm going to." Seeing the sense in his partner's words, and knowing that there wasn't any way he could drag him away from the girl, Jim nodded.

"Okay. I should be back in a few hours." After Jim left, Blair went and sat in the chair by the bed.

"Okay Lisa, I'm here, and you're safe. Try to get some sleep." She lay back down and he placed the covers over her.

"Can you tell me a story?" she asked, yawning. Blair began to tell her the story of the three little pigs, and by the time the wolf was at the second pig's house, she was fast asleep. Blair shifted around in the chair, trying to get more comfortable, wondering how Jim managed to sit in them all the times when he was injured. Must be an army thing, he thought. I'll have to get Jim to teach me that. 'The art of sitting in uncomfortable chairs without fidgeting.' Chuckling slightly to himself, he continued his watch over the young girl.

Cascade General Hospital

1:30am, Sunday

"Just make sure she gets a lot of rest and doesn't agitate the bandages over her eyes."

"I'll make sure she gets the sleep she needs." Dr. Anges frowned, looking at her charts again.

"Well, I guess I'll sign the release forms, though I still don't like her leaving so soon. Just be sure she takes her medicine, and is brought back here in two days so we can remove the bandages from her eyes."

Jim Ellison assured her that he would. He had returned to the hospital fifteen minutes ago after spending two hours at the chemical plant. After the HAZMAT team determined the scene to be safe, forensics had gone to work. Amongst the rubble they found a body, although it was so badly burnt it was hard to tell much about it. The dental records had been sent in and it would be a few hours before they had a positive identification. Without his guide to ground him, Jim didn't want to exert his senses too much in case he zoned, but that hadn't meant he couldn't search the area. Besides a few tire tracks though, there wasn't much to go on.

Of the few employees that had been at the scene, none had reported seeing anything unusual. When the fire alarm went off, each had followed proper evacuation procedures, backing up their current work to a remote computer before exiting the building. There was no sign of the 'executive', but Jim had a feeling that once he discovered Lisa was still alive, he might try to find her at the hospital.

When Jim returned to the hospital, he had approached Dr. Anges requesting Lisa be released in his protection. Although she had been hesitant at first, the fact that Lisa had no other family in the area and was a witness to a murder led the doctor to agree with Jim. While the doctor went to get the papers prepared, Jim headed back to the room. He quietly entered the room, seeing Lisa fast asleep on the bed. Blair was asleep on the chair beside her, his head tilted to the side in what looked like a pretty uncomfortable position.

"Wake up sleeping beauty," Jim said, gently shaking Blair. With a low groan Blair opened his eyes.

"What time is it?" he asked, groaning louder this time. "Owe," he added, rubbing his neck. "These chairs are so not made for sleep, man." Jim laughed and ruffled his hair.

"Now you know how I feel. It's one thirty in the morning, and time to head home."

"No, don't go," Lisa muttered from the bed, waking up.

"Lisa, it's okay, you're going to be coming with us."

"I am?"

"She is?"

"Yes, you are officially under our protection as a witness to the explosion. I've already arranged it so you will be able to stay at our home."

"That's great," Lisa said around a yawn. "It's too noisy here, and these beds are more uncomfortable than they look."

"You think the bed's bad, you should try the chair," Blair told her, and she laughed. An orderly wheeled in a wheelchair and Lisa was placed in it. Ten minutes later the three were riding back to the loft. Lisa sat between the two, leaning on Blair as she slept again.

"I always said women flocked to you, Chief," Jim joked. Blair, unable to playfully cuff him, simply glared back before smiling down at Lisa. She reminded him of a younger sister he never had, and he couldn't shake off the big-brother protection feeling. He wondered if that was the way Jim felt towards him, when he wasn't in mother-hen mode, anyway. He laughed at a mental image of Jim in a chicken suit and dress, and his partner gave him a strange look. Blair shook his head and turned to look out the window.

When they arrived at the loft, Blair carried Lisa to the elevator and up to the loft. Laying her on his bed, he removed her shoes and gently placed the covers over her. She turned to her right side, snuggling deeper into the sheets, fast asleep. Tip-toeing out, Blair shut the door and made his way to the kitchen where Jim was.

"Sound asleep," Blair said, taking a seat at one of the chairs.

"The doctor said Lisa would need to rest a lot to recover her strength, and to watch out for any problems she might have with her head wrap. There are also a few pills she'll have to take tomorrow."

"That'll be fine. And I don't have classes on Monday or Tuesday either. What about you? Are you going to the station tomorrow? Do you need me to go? We can probably get one of the guys to watch her."

"I'm sure Lisa would notice the difference between you and Joel," Jim joked. "But don't worry. I just want to check on the results of the dental records, see if we can pull any connections in the database. You just try to keep Lisa well rested and settled in. See if she remembers anything else about the explosion. Of course, the only way I'll manage that is if I get to sleep." Jim yawned, and Blair followed suit.

"Yeah, no kidding. So much for a relaxing Sunday huh? I'm going to do a little reading first, see what I can learn about blindness."

"Don't stay up too late."

"I won't. Goodnight Jim."

"Goodnight Blair." Jim headed up to his room and changed for bed. As he lay in bed, it was awkward to hear a different heartbeat in Blair's room. Lisa was fast asleep, and Blair was still in the living room. The quiet sound of pages turning filtered up to Jim, but soon he became oblivious to it as he fell asleep.

The Loft

4:52am

Lisa woke up, and for a few moments she began to panic because she didn't know where she was. But then she felt the soft covers that surrounded her, smelt the pleasant odor of herbs, a comforting and familiar smell. This must be her savior's room, but where was he? In the silence of the loft she searched him out with her hearing, finding his heartbeat coming from another room.

She gathered the covers and stood up, carefully feeling her way across the unfamiliar room and out into the hall. She followed the beat to the living room, where Blair had fallen asleep on the couch while reading one of his books. Quietly she climbed onto the couch and laid her head down on his lap. Placing the covers over both him and herself, she snuggled down once again between his herbal smell, his warmness, and the gentle beating of his heart. Within a minute, she was sound asleep again.

The Loft

9:45am

Jim quietly moved toward the door. When he had woken up a half hour ago, he had found both Blair and Lisa sleeping in the living room. Blair was propped up against the side of the couch, and Lisa was snuggled under a cover, her head lying on his lap. After showering and dressing, Jim had packed a quick lunch and written a note saying how long he'd be at the station. Jim stopped just short of the door and turned to see Blair looking at him with tired eyes.

"Morn'," Blair yawned, raising a hand to rub at his eyes.

"Good morning, Mother Goose," Jim replied. "She's a little young, don't you think?"

Blair smirked.

"Hey man, she came to me. Besides, she's in a new environment and I'm the only thing she recognizes. It's not uncommon for a person, when in a strange environment, to latch onto the first person or thing that they become accustomed to. If you examine the –"

"I was joking!" Jim broke in, not wanting to listen to a lecture. "Just take it easy today, and spare her the tests." At Blair's surprised look Jim laughed. "Hey, I know how your mind works. And it's a scary thing." Blair laughed and threw a pillow at him. Jim caught it in mid-air and placed it on the table by the door. "Just telling it like it is, Chief. I'll be back around six."

"Okay. See you Jim."

With a nod to say bye, Jim headed out. As he made his way down the stairs, he could hear Blair moving about, probably moving Lisa off so he could get up. He heard the coffee maker start up and a minute later the water running in the shower. As Jim left the stairwell, he focused his attention on the immediate area. He didn't doubt that Lisa would be safe at the loft from danger, except in the case of Sandburg. With a chuckle, he got in his truck and headed to the station.

Cascade Police Station – Major Crimes

10:00 am

"No Hairboy today, Jim?" Henri Brown asked as Jim entered the bullpen. The big man was found of the young 'unofficial' partner of Jim, and usually greeted him with a joke each morning. He had heard one he was sure the young man would love, but he didn't see him.

"Not today. He's taking care of a special guest for the weekend. Did you get any information on the profile I sent in?"

"Rafe and I've been going through Golen Industries personal files, but nothing matched. And so far there haven't been any witnesses coming forward. The fire left quite a mess though. If the radioactive containers weren't so thoroughly sealed, we'd have a major radiation leak to deal with."

"Thanks H." Jim sat at his desk and shuffled through the new paperwork that had been dumped there earlier that day. Some were just notices of reports to be handled, a few were messages from informants concerning different cases he was working on. After writing out the reports that were needed that day, he pushed the rest to the side and began his own search for anyone connected to the Golen Industries case. After three hours of no luck, he sat back. Noticing the time was nearly four, he decided to give Blair a call and find out how the situation was. Blair answered on the third ring.

// Hello? //

"Hey Chief, it's me. How are things going?" Jim could hear shuffling of papers - Blair's notes, most likely - as well as movement farther in the background.

// Hey Jim. Oh man, I definitely think she has more than just hyperactive hearing, although that has to be her strongest sense. She seems to have enhanced touch and smell too. Don't know yet about her taste, but I know a good way to try later when -- //

"Whoa! Slow down speedy. I meant how's she adjusting?"

// It's just so amazing, Jim! I mean, I admit it was a little rough in the morning, she was back in her shell, but eventually I was able to coax her to at least use the bathroom by herself. And dressing was a little awkward; but she trusted me, which is a good thing because without trust this isn't going to work. After breakfast (by the way we're out of eggs. That girl really likes to eat) I started to see how well her hearing is and wow, Lisa didn't even want to take a break, which really amazed me seeing how the doctor said she'd need rest. But she's so anxious to learn. So after about three hours of continuous lessons (which I can't believe she was able to do because it exhausted me and I'm not the one doing it), she's absorbed it all so well! After only two hours she had no problem walking around. It's as if she can see. //

"She memorized the layout?" Jim asked while Blair paused to take a breath.

// No, it's more than that. It was an idea I got last night, and she's already perfected it. // A loud thump sound came out followed by a cry of pain. // Oh man, Jim I gotta go. But can you pick up some chocolate milk on the way home? It's her favorite. Thanks. // Blair hung up and Jim sighed, sitting back. What trick had he found? He wondered what would be waiting for him when he got home.

The Loft

3:55pm

Blair hung up and turned to Lisa, who had stumbled over a book and bumped into the wall. She now sat on the ground, rubbing her elbow and biting her lower lip to keep from crying. "Owe," she whimpered.

"Lisa, are you okay?" Blair asked. He hurried over and knelt by her, gently taking her arm and checking it out.

"Why do they call it a funny bone?" she asked. "Sure isn't funny when I hit it." Satisfied it wasn't anything serious, Blair stood up.

"Actually the nickname comes from the scientific name for the bone, humerus. People tended to call it humorous, which led to it being nicknamed the 'funny bone'. The story goes that it controls your sense of humor." He lowered his voice slightly as he continued, "However, it doesn't seem to work on Jim. I think his is broken."

Lisa burst out laughing, forgetting her pain as Blair helped her up. Once on her feet she paused for a moment, listening carefully to the sounds around to restore her bearings, before making her way to the table where Blair had just laid out lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches. As she bit into one, the cheese squeezing out between her fingers slightly, Blair watched her with amazement. If it weren't for the wrap around her eyes, he would never believe she was temporarily blinded.

He had read up more on blindness, and how loss of sight tended to increase other senses, hearing especially. Using the idea behind how a bat 'sees', he was able to teach Lisa how to listen to reflections off objects in the room by the way her breath and other ambient sounds bounced off them. It had taken awhile for her to understand it, but once she did she was soon able to maneuver around all the major objects. Lisa still couldn't distinguish smaller objects like books on the ground, but Blair was sure with more training she would. But he didn't want to push her too far, too fast.

There were two important things to learn first, and that was her range and zoning factors. He would have to wait till Jim got home before attempting those tests. His sentinel would be able to determine her range easier than Blair could. For now he would work on hearing, and touch. If she could feel the object, how much info could she get off it? Would her sense of hearing or touch be even greater than Jim's, since her four senses were working harder to make up for the loss of the fifth?

Blair joined her at the table and reached for his own sandwich. There was still so much to research, so much to test. Lisa gave a smile in his direction before continuing to eat. He took bite of his own sandwich and began to plan the rest of the day.

The Loft

6:05pm

Jim scanned the loft with his senses, almost a natural thing to do now. Two heartbeats were heard, Blair's and Lisa's. Both seemed steady and calm. Quietly Jim opened the door, seeing Blair sleeping on the chair and Lisa lying on the couch nearby. Placing the keys in the basket Jim headed to the kitchen for a beer.

"Hand me one too," Blair quietly called from the chair. Groggily he stood up and moved to the kitchen, taking the offered beer. "Did you find out anything else?" Blair asked before taking a swallow.

"Nothing we didn't know already. No other witnesses, no easy suspect. It does seem that Golen Industries had very good insurance, yet the time lost while waiting for a new building to be built wouldn't make it worthwhile to burn it down and collect the insurance. The building was built only a few years ago. They haven't received any trouble reports so it appears to be an inside job. But no suspects."

"No disgruntled current or former employees?"

"No one has been laid off or fired in over four years. And every worker we talked to at the crime scene says working conditions are excellent and the company offers great benefits." Jim went silent for a moment before finally asking, "So what have you learned about our guest?" Blair's eyes lit up, and as he talked he bounced around excitedly.

"Oh man Jim it's amazing! She just absorbs everything I teach her, and nearly perfects it! I told her about how bats 'see' using echoes that bounce off objects, and she was walking around after an hour, a little awkwardly sure but after two, nearly perfect. And like I had said on the phone, it seems her sense of touch and smell are also affected. She could smell the tea in the cupboard and knew exactly where it was." As Blair paused for a break Jim cut in.

"Whoa, Darwin, take a breath. Does this mean she's a sentinel too?" Blair cast a glance at the sleeping figure before turning back to Jim.

"Not exactly. Whereas you were born with all five, I think Lisa was only born with two, sight and hearing, from what she's told me. However, by losing her sight, her other senses have become hyperactive."

"Like a blind person normally has better hearing?"

"In a way, yes. But in Lisa's case it was more than just better hearing. Which reminds me, I'll need you to help me determine her range on hearing."

"You and your tests…"

"This has to be done. I need to figure out how far she can extend her hearing before zoning out."

"After dinner, of which you seem to forgot you were in charge of."

"Oh, sorry." Blair squeaked before he hurried to the fridge, opening it and taking out ingredients for a chicken stir-fry. While he worked, Blair continued to talk. "So I was thinking you could make it like a game, like 'I Spy', but in your case 'I Hear'. Start close and move slowly outward. The other senses aren't as important… I mean just at the moment. Of course all the senses are important." Blair mixed the package of vegetables, chicken, and some seasoning he had left over from last time and placed it on the stove to cook. "Watch that for me okay?" Before Jim could respond Blair was halfway to his room.

"That kid is a walking mouth," Jim muttered to himself, stirring the food. Blair emerged a few minutes later carrying a small box and notebook. He put both by his place on the table and turned back to the stove. "I got it, Chief," Jim said, taking the pan off the stove. "Go wake up Lisa."

"I'm awake," a tired voice said from the couch. Lisa slowly sat up. The bandage still covered her eyes, but she seemed to be looking in his direction. A look of pain flashed over her face. "Loud," she whimpered, covering her ears.

"What is?" Blair asked, moving to her.

"Loud," she said again, "humming noise."

"Humming?"

"The refrigerator," Jim clarified. "It hums."

"Oh… she must've been concentrating in that area… Lisa, fade it away. Can you picture a dial in your head, like on a TV, for volume?" She nodded. "Okay, that dial is set for six and is the source of the humming. Turn it down slowly, to five, four, three… Okay?" She nodded again. "Keep turning it down, two, one… zero." Lisa removed her arms from her head, smiling.

"The hum is gone. How did you do that?"

"You did it, Lisa, not me. I just helped guide you. Come on, let's have dinner now. We can work more on that later."

"Okay." Jim watched as Lisa stood up and walked effortless to the table, taking a seat. Blair looked at Jim and mouthed 'later'. Nodding, Jim sat down also. Blair poured him and Jim some juice, and Lisa the chocolate milk Jim had remembered to buy, before sitting down and flipping on the box. Jim gave a small start as the effects of the white noise generator subdued the outside noises. Lisa gave a much larger start.

"Blair??" she cried. The steady thumping of his heart had suddenly vanished, and she felt as if she were alone.

"Lisa, it's okay." She heard his voice, and moved to look in that direction. She tried to listen for the beating, but it wasn't there. She could smell his scent and feel slight warmth in that direction. That helped to clam her down.

"What happened?"

"I turned on a white noise generator. It blocks out unwanted sounds. I want to make sure you don't have another attack while you eat." As well as letting you concentrate more on smell and taste, he thought. Already the notebook was open and he was jotting down a few observations as he talked.

"Okay." Dinner passed without problems, with Blair telling a few more stories and asking Lisa about the tastes of her food, and Jim adding some small talk about the station. After all the dishes were cleared up, Blair had Jim and Lisa sit next to each other on the couch while he took the chair. The generator was still on.

"I'm going to be talking, but I'll be getting quieter as I go along."

"That'll be the day," Jim muttered, and Blair shot him a look as Lisa giggled. Jim gave a mock look of shock and innocence.

"Not funny. I want to compare your hearing levels without ambient sounds. Lisa, remember the dial you had before?"

"Yeah."

"Picture another one, but this controls the sound of my voice. As I talk and grow quiet, slowly turn it up."

"Okay."

"Okay Jim?"

"Let's get this over with, Darwin."

"That's a yes. Okay, close your eyes." Blair began by retelling the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, growing more and more quiet after each segment. Lisa frowned as time went on, but continued listening. At the end Blair couldn't even hear himself yet neither had spoken. "Turn the dial down again, Lisa, to normal level," he instructed, slowly growing louder. "You were able to hear me the whole time?"

"No, but almost. I heard up until the bears were moving upstairs to the bedroom."

"Jim, how about you?" No response. "Jim?" Still nothing. "Oh man, he zoned! Jim, listen to my words," Blair said, grabbing Jim's shoulder. "Pull back, feel my hand. Come on back." Jim took a deep breath and opened his eyes.

"What happened?" he asked, looking at Blair.

"You zoned on me man. You okay?" He nodded. "How far did you hear?"
"Right up to the part about the beds." Blair sat back, amazed. Lisa, so new at this, had heard the same amount as Jim, yet she hadn't zoned. Blair got up and turned off the generator. Lisa flinched as the new sounds jumped out at her, but using the method Blair had taught her about dials, she turned the noise down.

"Those dials come in handy," she told Blair. "It was loud at first, but now it's okay." He held back his amazement; she already had control over the dials?

"Very good Lisa! Now, you and Jim will do a game of 'I Hear'. He'll find a sound and you have to figure out where it is, then you find one and he has to find it, okay?"

"Okay." For the next half hour they went back and forth, finding sounds Blair could only imagine, from squeaky pipes to people talking two floors down. She managed to match all the sounds Jim found, and he found all the sounds she described. They appeared to be an even match. When Lisa began yawning, Blair put a stop to the game."Time to rest, doctor's orders," Blair told her. She nodded and hopped off the couch, heading over to the bedroom. He followed, still amazed at her willingness to go to bed. He remembered always wanting to stay up later when he was a child. Once she was tucked into bed he said, "You sleep. Jim and I will be back soon okay?"

"Where are you going?"

"Just to buy some more milk, and cookies."

"Oh! Peanut butter?"

"Yup." Lisa smiled; peanut butter was her favorite. She snuggled into the pillow, taking in the scent of Blair still on the covers, and soon settled down to sleep. Although a little apprehensive to leave her alone, Blair and Jim needed to get out of her hearing range, which seemed to be a block away, and shopping was the perfect excuse. They locked up the loft and went to the truck. It wasn't until they were two blocks away that Blair finally spoke.

"Oh man! I can't believe her! She matched you every time and never zoned, unbelievable! That is just too cool. Even with the people I've studied before with one or two hyperactive senses, I've never had one with such a heightened ability. I wonder if she'll keep it when her sight returns." Jim turned to him with a questioning look.

"Why wouldn't she?"

"I don't know. Like I said, she wasn't born a sentinel like you, and she only had some degree of heightened hearing and sight. When she lost sight, her hearing worked overtime to make up for the loss. If … no, let me say when to stay more positive. When she gets her sight back, it would make more sense if hearing faded down to what it was, since it no longer has to work overtime."

"And if it doesn't?" Blair turned to Jim, hearing the apprehension in his voice. There was an odd look to his face, and it took a moment for him to understand.

"Oh! No Jim, don't worry! I'm your guide, remember? Once Lisa's dad is released from the hospital, I'll teach him how to care for her." A tension left Jim, one he didn't know he had. He had a good control on his senses now, but Lisa was new and not used to it at all. He had been afraid Blair might leave to begin guiding her. "You can't get rid of me that easily," Blair added. Jim gently cuffed the back of his head.

"Don't I know it," he joked. They were both laughing when they pulled into the parking lot of the all-night market.

Cascade General Hospital

12:30pm, Monday

"What do you see?" Lisa looked around with open eyes, freed from the medical bandages, and frowned.

"Just black," she whispered. "I thought I'd be able to see!" Dr. Anges sighed, taking a light and looking into Lisa's eyes. The young girl didn't react.

"The medical patch was to prevent any infections from occurring, and that's what it did. Now all your eyes need is time to heal."

"So will I see again?" Lisa asked in a hopeful voice.

"I cannot guarantee it, but in my own opinion I feel you will, Lisa. I just don't know how long it will take." Lisa turned her sightless eyes to Blair, then back to the doctor.

"Okay... I guess I'll have to wait, then. I don't really have much choice, do I? But if you say I'll see again, then I believe you."

"That's the spirit Lisa," Dr. Anges said. "Mr. Sandburg? May I talk with you?"

"Sure," Blair said. "Be right back Lisa. Just stay here."

"Okay." While she remained sitting on the examination table, he followed the doctor into the hallway. She gently shut the door then turned to face him.

"Mr. Sandburg..."

"Blair, please."

"Blair, I really do believe that Lisa will be able to see again, but it may take weeks, months...even years. While she's in your care, you may need to remind her many times that the healing process is never instantaneous, but takes time. The most important thing to do is keep her spirits high and to never give up."

"I won't let that happen to her. Lisa isn't a quitter, so I know she'll stay strong. Any more news on her father?"

"He's improving, which is great, but he hasn't woken up yet. We will be able to move him out of ICC and into a normal room as soon as he can breath on his own, which might be as soon as tomorrow. Until then though it's no visitors."

"That's great news. I'll tell Lisa, I'm sure she'll want to visit as soon as she can." The doctor nodded and went to turn in her paperwork while Blair went back into the room.

"My dad's okay then?" Lisa asked hopefully. He shook his head slightly, knowing she had been listening in. She was too much like Jim sometimes.

"Yes, he's getting better each day," Blair assured her, "but he's still sleeping. When he wakes up, we'll visit him, okay?"

"Okay. I really miss him, Blair." She looked about the room, but all she saw was darkness, as if she were in a pitch-black empty room. But she could sense the equipment, and smell the chemicals, and hear the people in the halls and nearby rooms. She wasn't helpless, but she never appreciated her sight until she didn't have it. As the smell of one of the more pungent odors wafted up to her, she wrinkled her nose. This was one place she didn't really like. "Are we done here?"

"Yes, I just have to check us out at the desk."

"Then can we get ice cream?" Blair smiled at her.

"Of course. I think they sell some in the cafeteria. Come on." She hopped off the examination table and took his arm, following him out.

Cascade General Hospital, Cafeteria

1:00pm

Lisa happily licked the last of the chocolate ice cream off her fingers. Blair had already finished his Popsicle and watched her with amazement. After being told she should see again, Lisa didn't seem too upset about her current lack of sight. The few tests he had done at the loft yesterday showed that Lisa had super hyperactive hearing, hyperactive touch, and just a little enhanced smell. She wasn't a sentinel though, that he knew for sure.

Blair still found it hard to believe that Jim thought he would leave him for her. Didn't Jim know that if Blair had any intention of leaving, he would have done so long ago? What started as a thesis topic had turned into the best friendship Blair had ever had. He was Jim's guide, his shaman, his partner, and no one would ever come between them. He shook his head slightly, returning back to the present.

"Ready?" he asked Lisa, who had a contented smile on her face.

"Yup," she replied, and carefully slid off the bench. Although her eyes were sightless, she 'looked' around the area, doing what Blair taught her. Using the reflections off her breath and the surrounding sounds, she began to place objects around her. There was the bench she had been sitting on, and another object nearby. That second was Blair, she knew, by his heartbeat, his smell, and his warmth.

She began to reach out further and further, but this was her first try in a public place with so many people, and the other noises began to overwhelm her. She clutched her head and Blair hastened to her, laying his hands on her shoulders, as he did with Jim, to ground her. His hands made a gentle massaging motion.

"Lisa, dial the sound down, block it out." A few seconds later Lisa removed her arms from her head, and took a deep breath. She let it out slowly before turning to face him.

"It's hard, Blair," she said. "I could feel the objects that were nearby, but when I went out to find the rest, there were too many noises. The sounds kept bouncing around. I couldn't take it."

"Don't worry Lisa, it just takes practice to learn to filter between the different sounds. Jim has been doing this for over a year and he still has problems. Just don't give up."

"I won't, I promise."

"Good," Blair said, smiling. "Let's go. Jim will be waiting for us."

Jim's Truck

1:05pm

After dropping Blair and Lisa off at the hospital early that morning, Jim had gone to follow up on a lead he had received. A witness had come forward and reported seeing a dark BMW driving away from the scene with a partial plate of "IFG-". Five vehicles in the city matched the description.

Three were personally owned, and Jim had gone out to interview two. The first had been a young businessman who had been at a late business meeting, with several witnesses who could vouch for him. An elderly woman owned the second, claiming she kept the car in her garage and hadn't used it for nearly a year. The layer of dust upon it verified her story. Rafe and Brown had gone to check out the third owner, whom they found out was a middle-aged couple that was out of town on vacation for three days. They were currently in the process of verifying their story, but Jim believed they were innocent as well.

Of the other two cars, one was a used car lot, the other a rental agency. Jim was coming back from the rental agency with a log showing the car had not been used in several weeks. He had examined the car and noticed that, like the elderly woman's car, there was a thin layer of dust on it, as well as a spider's web near the back left wheel. That ruled out that car, which just left the one at the used car lot. After he picked up Blair and Lisa, they would check it out. A previous attempt to leave her in Joel's protection had left her with a few tears and a lot of stubbornness, so they had given up trying.

He didn't like taking her along, but she needed Blair to control her senses, just like Jim did. It wasn't that he didn't like her. In fact she almost felt like a niece at times, or even stranger, a younger version of Blair. Both were curious, inquisitive, and innocent. Despite the hardships she'd been through, and was still going through, she thought the best of people, just like Blair did. It was a trait he had always admired in his friend. And like Blair, Jim felt the need to keep her safe. Until they found the perpetrator (or perpetrators), Jim felt she was in danger. Blair had finally convinced him they would be okay at the hospital alone for a few hours.

A glance at his watch showed that they would probably be waiting for him, but at least he was only a few blocks from the hospital. He wondered how Lisa's eye exam went, and if she had any of her vision restored yet. He turned left and continued to the hospital.

Stanley's Autos

1:30pm

Jim approached the salesman, Blair and Lisa in tow. The man's name tag read Donald, and he had a large smile plastered on his face. "Welcome to Stanley's Autos, some of the best cars in the state," Donald greeted. "How may I help you? If you are looking to buy a top quality car at a discounted price, you have come to the right place."

"My name is Detective Jim Ellison," Jim stated, showing his badge and ID. "I have reason to believe that a car from your lot has been used in recent criminal activities." Donald's smile faltered for a moment but was soon back.

"I don't understand, Detective," he said, his pleasantries an obvious effort. "Once a car has been sold, it is not our responsibility as to how it is used." Jim took out his notebook and scanned it quickly before responding.

"According to our files, this car is registered with this dealership and has not yet been sold. It is a '62 black BMW, plate IFG 977."

"The '62 BMW? Yes, that is registered by this company, but it's a company car and not a resale." The smile vanished. "Are you accusing one of my employees of being a criminal?"

"I'm not accusing anyone … Donald," Jim said, awkward at using his first name, but unable to call him by his last name since he didn't know it. "I am merely following up on a lead. May I see the car in question?" Donald glanced at him and frowned, but waved for them to follow. Blair headed over to Jim and whispered, "Could you tell if he's lying?"

"He seems to be telling the truth," Jim answered. "But just in case keep your eyes, and ears," he added, looking at Lisa, "open. Let me know if you notice anything out of the ordinary." Blair nodded.

"Okay, we'll be right with you," he said. While Jim walked after Donald, Blair took Lisa's hand and spoke softly to her.

"Okay Lisa, I want you to practice what you've been working on. Block out the distant sounds, and focus on the echoes nearby caused by the reflections off your breathing. Draw a mental image in your mind where these objects are."

Frowning as she concentrated, Lisa did as told. The distant noises of the city faded away until all she heard was her own breathing, and Blair's heartbeat. She couldn't block that out even if she tried. Using that sound she slowly let it expand out. To her right it reflected back almost immediately, and from all over, indicating a wall, most likely the building. There was a reflection off to her immediate left, but along with the heat caused by the body, she knew it was Blair by his own beating heart.

She had accomplished this at the hospital not too long ago, but this time she was determined not to become overwhelmed. Carefully she continued to reach out and test each direction, turning down the volume of any sounds that tried to interfere, until her mental image showed a rough layout of the compound.

Using this technique, she couldn't tell the difference between two objects side by side unless she was able to touch them, but she could tell where there was space, and where there wasn't. Letting go of Blair's hand, Lisa started walking in the direction Jim had gone, constantly adjusting the mental image in her mind as the reflections changed. Blair followed close behind, ready to stop her if she stumbled or made a mistake, but she walked flawlessly to where Jim and the salesman were standing beside a black BMW.

"As you can see, Detective, the vehicle you spoke of is right here."

"Do you keep a log of the times employees use it?"

"Yes. I'll get it for you." Donald left in a huff, anxious to get rid of the detective before any real customers came. While they waited, Jim examined the exterior of the car with his senses and found numerous scratch marks with both his eyes and hands, as well as smelling a strange odor.

"Jim what is it?" Blair asked as he noticed the odd look on his friend's face. He moved forward and placed a hand on his partner's back to ground him. "Concentrate on whatever it is that's got your attention, and bring it out."

"It smells like … some strange chemicals, but I can't tell which ones."

"Sulfur, dichloride, and magnesium are three of them," Lisa said. "My father is a chemist, and he works with those a lot. They're not dangerous except in high quantities." Blair stepped back and Jim glanced in the interior, noting the amount of miles on the dash.

"Here's the log book," Donald said, walking over with the book. "As you can see no one has used the car in over a week." Jim glanced at the record, which contained the employee's name, the date and time the car was both taken out and dropped off, and the mileage. He frowned. "Your last log shows the car at having 63,324 miles, but the actual mileage on the car is 63,392."

"That's impossible," Donald said, looking into the car. After reading the mileage himself he gave an astonished look. "I always verify the mileage when they return it. I am the only one who has the keys to the car, so I know no one has used it recently."

"With your permission I'd like to have forensics over here to examine the car for prints. I would also like a list of your employees, both past and present, for the past few years who may have had contact with the car." Dumbfounded, Donald gave his consent.

Jim gave Blair his phone to call for a forensic team to come in then followed Donald back into the office. A few minutes later he returned with a list of fifteen people, only seven still worked at the company. He gave the list to Blair while he examined the car again.

"It seems Stanley's Autos had more than just a few rollovers," Blair commented as he read the list. "Last year three people hired in and quit after only a few months, and the year before, one guy quit after only a month."

"Makes you wonder if working conditions really aren't that good around here," Jim commented.

"That's what I thought at first," Blair responded, "but there's more. Each person was required to list his or her reason for quitting the job. It looks like most left due to personal matters. Two had become sick and left due to health reasons, one left to care for her mother, and the other two had decided, and I quote, 'This isn't my field'. The rest seemed to have left for a better business opportunity."

"I'll run the names through when I get back to the station," Jim said, straightening out. He could tell there were some prints on the dash, but would wait until forensics came to take them. "We'll see if any still live in the area, as well as check up on the current list of employees." The arrival of a small van marked the end of the current discussion as two forensic personnel emerged. Jim directed them to the car and then left along with Blair and Lisa.

The Loft

9:30am, Tuesday

"I'll meet you at noon okay? I just have to finish up some reports Simon's been bugging me about."

"We can wait," Blair said. "It's no big deal."

"No, go ahead and get a good parking spot. The longer you wait the more crowded it'll get." Although Jim didn't care to leave Blair and Lisa alone, the call he had to make was one he didn't want Lisa to hear. Simon had hinted earlier that something might be wrong with her father, but didn't want to say directly. And right now, Lisa needed to concentrate more on her own health than worrying about her father.

"Okay," Blair agreed. "We'll meet you at the concession stand area, near the elephant ear stand." They had heard about a small carnival that had set itself up in Cascade Park, and Lisa had begged to be allowed to go. Blair had convinced Jim it would be an excellent place to test Lisa's senses, as well as take her mind off of her father. Jim had eventually agreed, although he didn't care for carnivals; he had to dial every sense down or else he'd be overwhelmed.

Lisa followed Blair down to his car, and they pulled out and headed to the park. Even though it was still early in the day, a lot of people had already arrived, taking advantage of the cool summer morning. They lucked out and found a spot not far from the entrance and parked. "You ready?" Blair asked.

"Yeah," Lisa answered. "You know, this will be the first time I ever ride the tilt-a-whirl and not have to close my eyes to avoid being dizzy." Blair laughed, glad that she wasn't taking her lack of sight harshly. When she had awoken this morning, she had been ecstatic that a slight bit of her eyesight had returned, enough to make out some shadows and light. It didn't do much good in terms of really seeing, but it reinforced her hope that her sight would fully return.

As they walked down the lanes, Blair watched as Lisa would pause every so often and tilt her head, just like Jim did. With all the noise and people, he could only guess how she was able to so accurately maneuver around. A few times he had to stop her from running into a low object or a wire, but besides that she walked flawlessly. They went on several rides and she cheered Blair as he tried unsuccessfully several times to win a stuffed animal.

After two hours, Blair called a break from rides and games. It was nearly noon, and time for lunch. He ordered them each a slice of pizza, a cold drink, and an elephant ear to share. They were just finishing the last of their drinks when Lisa suddenly froze.

"Lisa, what's wrong?"

"He's here," she said, her head tilted to one side. She began the process of filtering out the unwanted sounds. The sounds of the rides faded away.

"Who is he?"

"The man from the warehouse." The sounds of the people dimmed to a low hum.

"How do you know?"

"I heard him." She let the rest fade away, except Blair, until just the man's voice remained. "I can hear him to the right. He is back to where the motorcars were, but he is coming this way and quickly." Blair looked over in the direction she indicated. Most of the fair-goers were dressed in shorts and light tops, but three men stood out, wearing dress pants and dark shirts. At the moment they stood talking, looking around the area. Blair ducked and turned his back to them. Damn, he thought, where's Jim? A glance at his watch showed 12:30. Of all the days for him to be late!

"Lisa, can you hear Jim? Try to filter out the noise to find him." Lisa frowned. She kept the sounds dimmed while she searched out for the familiar voice of Blair's friend.

"I don't hear him. No wait. I think he's back in the parking lot, close to where we came in at." Great, Blair thought, that's on the total opposite end of where we're at now.

"Okay, we're going to head in that direction. If anything happens to me, I want you to go to Jim. Don't worry about anything else okay?"

"But Blair…"

"Promise me."

"Okay. I promise."

"Good, take my hand." She reached out he took her hand in his and they began to walk quickly back to the parking lot. A glance over his shoulder showed the men were looking in his direction, recognition on their faces as they were spotted. Damn! Blair hurried faster and stopped by the side of a booth with a loose tarp.

"Lisa, hide here for a minute. And remember, if anything happens, find Jim." She nodded and moved beneath the tarp. Blair stepped out and moved away, knowing he would be an easier target to spot than Lisa would, and hoping to bring the men away from where she was. While he moved he spoke under his breath, knowing it would be loud enough for his partner.

"Jim, man, I know you can hear me. The man Lisa described is here. I left her at the ring toss game. She knows to find you. I hope it won't come to that, but I have a bad feeling. I could really use your help here." He turned a corner and froze. The man described as the executive stood before him. Before Blair could move, he felt a prod in his ribs as the other two stepped in from behind. Without looking Blair knew it was a gun.

"Where is she?" Lyle the executive asked.

"Who?"

"Don't play games with me! I saw you with her."

"Oh, her. She ran off on me just now. I'm trying to find her."

"Liar! Where is she?" Blair remained silent. "Fine, we'll just have to force the info out of you another way."

"Boss," one warned, indicating the approach of the carnival police out on their regular patrol. Blair looked hopeful, but then Lyle told him, "Unless you want a blood bath to happen here, you'll come with us quietly. Take him to the car, Dave." The man on his right pushed the gun a little deeper into Blair's side and prodded him to move back the way they had come.

"What are we going to do with him?" the other man asked Lyle.

"We'll take him back to the cannery with us. After we get what we want, we'll just add him to the list of 'unwanted waste.'" Laughing the two turned and followed their comrade and captive back to their car.

From her hiding place Lisa had listened to the men and their words to Blair, and what they planned to do with him. As much as she wanted to run out and save him, she knew it wasn't possible. And without him close to her, she didn't have the same amount of control. When she knew they were gone, she climbed out from the tarp and tried to form the mental map in her mind, but it was so difficult without Blair. But it was for Blair that she had to do this! Slowly the map came to her, and she began heading in the direction of where Jim would be, bumping into several people along the way. Finally she came into his sight.

"Lisa!"

"Jim!" she cried, and threw herself into his arms. She had done it; she had reached him like Blair had told her. The stress of the day caught up with her and she collapsed in his grip. She was both physically and mentally tired.

"Lisa, where's Blair?"

"They have him," she sobbed. "They took him cause he was with me."

"The man you saw at the warehouse?"

"Yes. They said they were taking him to a cannery. Jim, we have to help him!"

"I will, but I need to get you to safety first."

"No! We don't have time. The executive killed that other man without a second thought; he'll do the same to Blair. I know he will. We have to go now!"

Finkleton's Cannery

1:10pm

'You can't judge a book by its cover.' Whoever thought of that saying hasn't met these guys, Blair thought. He tested the rope binding his hands and found it tightly secured. Not that it mattered much. The three goons were not only bigger and stronger (they looked like ex-linebackers), they had guns and by the look in their eyes, they wouldn't hesitate to use them. They hadn't said much after they had taken him, and after being forced into the back of their van, he hadn't been able to see where they went.

He had entered the van back at the park, and had exited it in what looked like an old factory. An odor of fish prevailed, and he guessed it to be a cannery by the looks of the machines. An old abandoned warehouse, how typical. They had taken his wallet when they arrived, but hadn't said anything.

The leader had placed Blair in his two goons' hands and had left ten minutes ago. He returned, muttering a few more words in his phone before snapping it shut and turning to Blair.

"So Mr. Sandburg, where is the girl?"

"I already told you she ran off on me." A half truth, she had run but by his order. Lyle in turn moved and slugged Blair hard in the stomach. If the other two hadn't grabbed him, he would've fallen to the floor.

"Stop playing games! You were seen talking with her before at the park. We saw you run off with her. Where are you hiding her? Where is she now?"

"I don't know now. All I know is she's safe and you won't find her!" The man slugged him again and this time the two didn't catch him as he fell to the floor. Lyle's phone range again. Turning way he answered, "What? He is?" He turned back to Blair, who was having a hard time catching his breath. "Really. Okay." He hung up and turned to his associates.

"It seems our friend here works at the police station as an 'observer'. He is even partnered with one of them, a Detective James Ellison."

"Ellison?" the one asked. "Wasn't he cop of the year? "

"Yeah Steve," Dave answered. "I remember reading about it."

"So that makes you a valuable piece of merchandise," Lyle told Blair. "Lock him up good and tight, I have some more calls to make. If all works well this little problem will by all wrapped up by tonight." As the two led him away Blair thought, Jim, where are you?

Stuck in Traffic

1:15pm

Jim growled and clenched his jaw tighter, willing the traffic to move faster. Lisa sat quietly in Blair's usual spot, but he could feel the tension coming off of her. She was just as worried about Blair as he was. Lisa might share Blair's sense of justice and curiosity, but she also had Jim's stubbornness. She had made it quite clear that there was no way she was not going with him.

Jim had called the station for backup to meet him at the warehouse district; their ETA was 30 minutes. The cannery area was near the edge of the city, and traffic was, as Jim was finding out, slow. Jim's cell phone rang and he gruffly answered. "Ellison," he barked, sounding too much like his superior.

// This is Detective James Ellison? //

"Yes, who is this?" A chuckle came through the phone.

// I'm just a simple businessman with a proposition. // Lisa, curious as to who was on the phone, tilted her head and listened in, a la Ellison style.

"What proposition is that?" Jim asked, although he already had a suspicion what it was.

// A simple trade, one for one. Your partner for the girl. // Lisa's heart rate accelerated as she recognized the voice, but she stayed quiet, listening closer to the conversation through the phone. Somewhere on the other end was Blair, and that gave her the ability to send out her hearing. Listening to the echoes like Blair taught her, she could make out a vague mental image of the place. At least three stories high, but in disrepair as water dripped from somewhere.

"Let me talk to him." Jim had already extended his hearing, searching out for the familiar heartbeat. He found it, barely. It wasn't steady like sleep, which meant Blair was probably lying unconscious.

// He's taking a nap at the moment, I hate to say. //

"Then how do I know you're serious?"

// Well, I can tell you he's a health nut looking at the receipt from Yang's Grocery in his wallet. 'Garden Blend Tea' costs quite a lot it looks like, but his taste is quite good I admit. Do you need more? //

"No," Jim growled, "I believe you." He finally broke free of the traffic and began to pick up speed. "But I need time to find the girl." He had to stall for time.

// Oh I'm sure you will be able to find her quickly, seeing as how you are the officer assigned to her protection, after all. You have thirty minutes. If, when I call you back, you do not have her, you will be down one partner. // With a sharp click the call ended.

"Damn," Jim swore. "Only thirty minutes to find him, and the warehouse district isn't a small place."

"The building has at least three stories," Lisa said, turning to him. "And not in the best of shape."

"How do you know?"

"I could hear it, and made a mental image like Blair taught me." Jim was amazed. While he had been so intent on making sure his partner was safe, Lisa had staked out the area, so to speak. And she was still so young! According to Blair she would most likely lose that ability as her sight improved, but for now he was glad she had it. Jim called the station and relayed the information. Their own ETA was five minutes, but backup wouldn't arrive for another twenty at the earliest due to the traffic.

// Jim, wait until the backup arrives! // Simon ordered him.

"I can't sir. Blair may not have that long. They know he's my partner, and they know I was the officer in charge of Miss Higgins' protection. They won't stand for any delays."

// Jim! // Jim hung up as he arrived in the district. He'd deal with the wrath of Simon later. Right now he had to find his partner. He scanned the many buildings with his eyes while Lisa scanned with her ears as they drove through the district. After two minutes both pointed out one building, a five-story fish cannery that had seen better days. Jim parked off to the side so they couldn't be seen from the cannery.

"Lisa, stay here," he ordered, turning to her. She turned her sightless eyes to him.

"No. Blair needs me."

"I'm serious, Lisa. Now is not the time to argue. You are what they want, and if they see you, they won't hesitate to kill Blair. Do you understand?" Frowning, she reluctantly nodded, knowing he was right. Jim got out and carefully moved forward, extending his senses as he examined the building. He counted out three guards by their heartbeats, but where was Blair's? Reaching out farther he finally found it, still a little slow but sounding as if he were beginning to wake. He had been afraid they might have been too late.

"Jim!" A sudden slap on the back made Jim blink, and he whirled around, seeing Lisa 'looking' at him with concern.

"I told you to stay in the truck."

"I did until just now. You haven't moved for nearly ten minutes, and your heartbeat was slow. I was worried."

I must've zone, Jim thought in horror. If Lisa hadn't come... She seemed to be part sentinel at times, part guide the other times - an odd combination. And her courage … she was still so young, yet she had the courage and conviction of twenty grown men.

"Thank you," he said awkwardly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I mean that too. But now I need to you return to the truck and –"

"Forget it, Jim. We don't have time to argue," she said, sounding too much like Blair. "There are three guards that I heard, and I'm sure you did too. Blair seems to be hidden farther from them. You deal with the guards, cause a distraction, and I'll find Blair." She took off toward the building before he could stop her.

"Lisa!" he hissed, and ran after her. The amount of laws he was breaking now … Simon was going to skin him alive! It was something he didn't want to think about it. He had to deal with the issue at hand first: getting his partner back. The two continued to move forward, and stopped by a side door.

"You can manage this?" he asked her. She nodded. "Okay, find Blair and get out. And be careful." She nodded again and took off, feeling her way around the darkness and through the boxes. Jim carefully went in, sticking to the shadows as he crept forward. He found two guards playing cards at a table. Quickly moving forward, he took them by surprise, knocking them both out with a few quick blows. He handcuffed them to one of the machines and then searched out the last guard. The man had moved, and was heading in the direction of Blair and Lisa. Somehow he must have seen them and knew they were there!

Lisa ran into the dark room, and was greeted by a scent she knew well. "Blair!" Blair looked around and in the darkness he could barely make out the shadowed shape, but he knew the voice. "Lisa?"

"Yes, we've come to free you." He felt her hands working on the ropes binding his arms. He waited to hear the other familiar voice, but it didn't come.

"Where's Jim?"

"He's dealing with the others. There!" The ropes came off and Blair rubbed his wrists, amazed at how quick she had done that. Perhaps having an enhanced touch had helped. Suddenly a light came on and he blinked back the initial pain of the brightness as his eyes adjusted. Lisa gasped and ran behind Blair, clutching his arm. Blair watched as Lyle came into view with a gun in one hand, pointing at them.

"I told you that she was someone you knew. Now I get to kill two birds with one stone." As he pulled the trigger Blair pushed Lisa down, praying to the gods to protect them. The bullet just missed as it whizzed loudly by Blair's ear as if by miracle. He heard another shot, and knew this time Lyle wouldn't miss, but instead of feeling the bullet, he heard a loud cry of pain. He turned and saw Lyle clutching at a bleeding left shoulder, and Jim stepping into the room, his own gun ready.

"Give it up."

"Damn you!" Lyle reached in his jacket pocket, pulling out a small explosive device he had planned to use to destroy any evidence of the bodies. He would still get his chance. He turned and threw the device in Blair's direction while he took off running in the other.

"No!" Jim yelled, seeing the device but being too far to stop it. Blair had seen it as well and grabbed Lisa and ran as fast as he could. He managed to run fifteen feet before the device exploded, the power of the blast sending him and Lisa flying forward towards a large crate. At the last minute Blair managed to twist slightly, so that he hit the machine first instead of Lisa. A loud cracking sound rang out, and they both fell to the ground. Although the suspect was now fleeing, Jim's first concern was his partner.

"Blair! Lisa!" He ran to their prone figures on the ground. "Answer me!" he cried out desperately, gently placing a hand on them as he reached out with his senses. They were both breathing, but Blair's wasn't right, it was too shallow.

Lisa stirred, giving off a loud moan, and Jim turned to her, helping her to sit up. He did a quick scan over her, and except for a bruise forming on her head, she seemed okay.
"I'm okay," she said, confirming his thoughts. "How is Blair? What was that loud sound?" She reached out and felt Blair at the same time Jim did, both feeling the break in his arm under their sensitive fingers. Although unconscious, the pain was evident in his labored breathing. He needed to get to a hospital to set the arm, and also to check for any concussion he may have incurred.

Jim did a quick scan of the area, searching to see if their suspect was still around, but there were no other sounds inside the building. He could hear the arrival of the reinforcements, but they had missed Lyle.

Gently, carefully, he lifted Blair in his arms, moving him as little as possible to avoid aggravating the break. Lisa, too tired to use her seeing trick, grabbed onto Jim's jacket and carefully stepped after him as they made their way out.

Cascade General Hospital

4:50 pm

"Mr. Sandburg suffered a broken arm, as well as several cuts and bruises. We set the arm, applied dressings to the scrapes, and gave him both a painkiller and a mild sedative. He should be fine, but we want to keep him overnight for observation."

"Thank you doctor. May we see him?" The doctor looked at her chart for a moment before nodding.

"I don't see why not. He's in room 904." Jim nodded and headed to the elevator, Lisa already ahead of him. Both of them had already located Blair's heartbeat among all the other noises at the hospital, like a beacon of light guiding them. Blair was Jim's guide, but also Lisa's temporary one, and his safety was their first priority.

They exited the elevator and made their way to his room, quietly stepping inside. Blair was sleeping soundly under the influence of the drugs, his arm in a cast. Lisa strolled forward and sat on the hard plastic chair near the bed, while Jim remained standing at the foot of the bed, examining his friend with his eyes.

"He's okay now," said Lisa, half a statement, half a question. Although he sounded okay, she couldn't tell how he looked. She could still remember the loud cracking sound as his arm was broken.

"Yes, he is," Jim assured her. "He has a few scrapes, but nothing serious. The break was clean, so it should heal without complications."

"Good," Lisa said, and laid her head down by Blair. "He has to be okay. He's my protector." Jim froze, recalling the similar words Blair had said to him so long ago. Blair is okay, he told himself, and he's your guide. Jim fought off the bout of jealousy.

"Lisa, I need to call the station. I'll be back in a few minutes, okay?"

"Okay," she said, more absorbed with Blair than him. Jim needed to ask Simon about the men who had been questioned, as well as getting a guard assigned to the room. But cell phones weren't allowed and there was no phone in this room. He headed out and had to go down two floors before he found working payphones. Jim titled his head and listened to the room upstairs, confirming that everything was fine. He reduced his hearing and dialed Simon's number, informing his captain what was happening and asking his own questions.

// The two men you arrested are minor crooks, hired thugs working for a bigger fish is a good way to put it. The one that escaped, his name is Lyle Degussa. He's the distribution manager for Polar Industries, which is a parent company of Golen. It appears he was also in charge of Golen, but it wasn't an official position. That's why he wasn't listed as an employee. A warrant for his arrest has been issued. Where is the girl? //

"Up in Blair's room."

// I want them both placed in protective custody. I'll send over two men to help. //

"Thanks sir. I don't want to be gone too long. I'm heading back to the room." Jim hung up and headed for the elevators.

Lisa plodded the hallway back to Blair's room. She had tried to ignore her thirst, but her mouth was so dry, she had to go get a drink. She had heard the hum of the water fountain when they had passed by it earlier so she knew the way to it. Suddenly she heard a voice at the end of the hall near the nurse's station, and a shiver of fear ran through her. She began to panic, her mental map started to break apart.

Now is not the time to panic, she screamed to herself. Taking a deep breath and remembering what Blair taught her, Lisa took several more deep breaths, clearing her head of all the distractions around her. Then she began to block out the sounds one by one until she found Jim's voice on the phone. He had just finished talking to his boss, and was two floors below her.

"Jim!" she called out, not caring who might be looking at her strangely as she started to run down the hall to Blair's room. "The man is here! He's here! Hurry!" She ran into the room and to Blair, gently shaking him. "Blair, wake up. You have to wake up now!"

"Huh?" Blair opened bleary eyes, but at the sight and sound of Lisa's urgency he became more alert. The drugs in his body still made him weak though, and he didn't have the strength to get up. "Lisa what's wrong?"

"The man is here. We have to get away before he finds you."

"Too late, I already did." Lyle stepped into the room, gun in one hand. His clothes were dusty, and his eyes were filled with determination. "Time to finish what I started."

"Leave Lisa alone," Blair ordered from the bed. "She can't even see thanks to you. You've done enough harm to her."

"No. I don't know how, but she can identify me. And so can you. Once I silence you two, there will be no one else to connect me with the fire at Golen."

"Why? Why did you cause the fire?"

"Why? Because that fool Robertson was going to turn against me, and what better way then to hide the body than to have it burn to ashes? It makes life a lot easier."

"And you just made mine easier too," Jim said, placing his gun against the back of Lyle's head. "You just confessed to committing murder and starting the fire. Now hand me the gun, slowly." Knowing he was defeated, Lyle slowly handed back the gun to Jim, who took it before handcuffing Lyle. Two officers arrived at the door, and Jim handed Lyle over them to be read his rights and booked for numerous charges including attempted murder.

"It's about time you got here, Jim," Blair said.

"Sorry, next time I'll take the elevator with the old lady in the wheelchair," he joked. Lisa and Blair both broke into laughter.

The Loft

Blair laughed at Lisa's joke, and she giggled with him. It was two week after the events at the hospital. Michael Higgins had woken up a few days later to the relief of all the doctors, and during his time under observation at the hospital Blair had gone to visit and told him about the situation with Lisa. At first amazed, the man admitted that his daughter always seemed to have better hearing and sight than him. Dr. Higgins was released a few days later with a clean bill of health.

Now, he and Lisa were at the loft for a final visit. Lisa's sight was still slowly returning, but at the current rate, it would still take several weeks, if not months, to fully return. But she remained hopeful, and that was the main thing that mattered. A few tests Blair had conducted had already shown that her hearing was slightly decreasing.

"Jim, Blair, I can't thank you enough for all you've done," Dr. Higgins told them. "If you ever need help, I'll be there for you."

"You're welcome, Michael," Blair said. "And if you ever have questions about Lisa, don't hesitate to call." They shook hands, and then Michael shook Jim's before grabbing his coat and heading to the door. Lisa turned and hugged Blair tightly, then hugged Jim.

"You're lucky to have Blair, Jim," she whispered into his ear. "Take care of him."

"I know, Lisa, and I will. I promise," he assured her. Lisa broke away and went to her father. With a final round of goodbyes and many waves, they turned and left the loft. As he watched them go, Blair couldn't help but feel sad.

"I'll miss her," he said. "She felt like a younger sister I never had. It'll sure be quiet around here again."

"Don't worry chief, I'll help keep you busy. There's a lot of paperwork still to do at the station."

"Hey, I'm injured here," countered Blair, holding up his arm in the cast.

"You still have a hand free. That's all you need to write reports," Jim said with a straight and serious face.

"You're kidding, aren't you?" Jim didn't say anything as he turned and walked back to the couch.

"Jim?"

"Jim!"