3rd after Scar tissue and Healing wounds.
Summary: Blair's back from his course and Jim leaves his dad's house.
Author's notes: written 1st -24th October 2008. Hopefully not too smarmy….
No place like home.
Blair
Blair was never so glad to be back in Cascade than right now. Everything had been fine when he left and the only anguish he had on his course was to talk about the right dissertation- the one he had as backup, not the one about Sentinels. His heart had done back flips when he woke and checked his phone for messages half way through week two and found that Jim's dad had called at 4.30am. He now knew where Jim got his stubbornness from, as William firmly told him to finish up and that he would look after Jim once released from hospital. By which time Blair would be on his way home anyway- it was only a couple of days. Didn't stop him fretting all the way back, even though he'd talked to Jim, but all Jim would say was that he was fine, doing okay.
He needed to see Jim, to know that he really was okay. The front door of the Ellison house was open by the time he had unbuckled and begun to get out of the drivers seat. Walking up the path he saw a shadow behind William and knew it was Jim.
"Hey William," he said politely but his eyes were on Jim. He stood upright but it looked like it was costing him energy he didn't have. The bruises were colourful to say the least.
"Jim," he breathed wondering what to say other than 'ouch' as he watched Jim watching him. And man, that was some bloodshot eye he had there. This was not okay and certainly not fine, dammit.
"Chief," Jim mumbled, squinting at him.
Blair gently tugged his good arm and led him back into the lounge he remembered from previous visits. "C'mon man, sit down, take a load off." Jim's hand rested comfortably on his shoulder as they went. Both of them relaxing a little as they bonded again.
"I'm fine, really..." Jim grunted as he slowly lowered himself into a chair.
"Jim, this is me- you can cut the bullshit." Blair pleaded; William in the background said something about coffee and disappeared.
Jim sagged back in the chair and closed his eyes in relief. "Sorry, just…yesterday felt okay, today- crappy…."
"Seeing how you look right now and what your dad said on the phone- I'm not surprised you feel bad. You're one big bruise, not to mention rattling your brain! It's gonna take a little time for the aches and pains to go away."
"You're here and I just want to go home, things back to normal…"
"I get that, really I do, but we don't have to set off right this second- take your pills and lie down for a bit, then you'll feel better for travelling home." Blair watched as Jim turned slightly green at the thought of car travel and reached into a pocket for a strip of pills.
William returned with a tray of coffee and biscuits and a milkshake for Jim. Blair drank some coffee while Jim carefully swallowed his drink and the pills.
"Gonna lie down for a bit, sorry dad, Blair..." Jim muttered as he carefully levered himself upright.
"No problem. I'll give you a hand."
It was a testament to how poorly Jim was feeling that he made no protest as Blair hovered while he slowly made his way to his ground floor room and gingerly lay down on the bed. Blair pulled the curtains closed as Jim put on a black eye mask.
"Headache?"
"Uhuh,..bad….some.." he gulped "double vision...comes 'n' goes…hurts talk…"
Blair guided him through relaxing and lowering his dials and left him dozing almost asleep.
0o0o0
"Are you okay William?" Blair asked when he returned, pouring fresh coffee into his cup and snagging two home-made biscuits.
"Yes…it was just a shock to get a call from the hospital in the middle of the night and then to see him so banged up and in pain. The worst thing was seeing him so confused-not knowing who he was or what had happened to him."
"Yeah. But that was temporary, right?"
"Oh, yes. Doctor Geraghty explained all that. You know he has a follow up appointment tomorrow afternoon?"
"Thanks for reminding me. And he's been behaving himself at your place? No escape bids, no snarling at the natives?"
"No, to be honest he's not feeling well enough for that. As you saw he's mobile to a point and then his energy runs out and he falls asleep a lot. His cracked cheekbone means he can't talk much, just mutter. I'm just grateful I can't always decipher what he mutters!"
"Well if he is muttering curses at you then he must be okay. Besides I bet Sally's doting on him." Blair chuckled.
"Like you would not believe- did you see the milkshake? Food and drink in one! She was always so good to them growing up…."
"Well, I'm really glad you were able to go to the hospital when they called. I know how that is, in the middle of the night. Scary. And for this, afterwards."
"What else could I do? He's my son and he needed me. And I painfully realised that if this had happened six months ago it would have been a different story. He'd have gone home alone and toughed it out until you returned. I dread to think what might have happened. He tried going back to the loft but as soon as he realised it was impractical, he came back with me."
0o0o0
Jim
When Jim woke several hours later, the nausea and dizziness had subsided enough for him to get up. The nap had been restorative and now he just wanted to go home and relax. It hadn't been too bad, staying with his dad, but there had been awkward moments
He drank the glass of water by his bed- the doc had said to keep hydrated because of the probability of nauseous headaches, dizziness and double vision episodes that would continue for a while. The medication was supposed to help with that, plus painkillers for his cheekbone and contusions. What he could really do with was a long soak in a hot tub somewhere….but that required energy and organisation he wasn't up to yet.
He concentrated for a minute, listened and then smiled. Blair was talking nineteen to the dozen, while he and Sally put cooked chopped vegetables into a blender, his dad was watching TV. Jim followed the chatter and nice smells to the kitchen, watching TV since the accident often gave him a headache or he got double vision. He sighed, that too would get better with time. He just hated feeling decrepit.
"Jim dear, you look much better. Sit and rest. Blair was just telling me about some of the road trips he did with his mother..."
"Veg soup?"
"You know, with that kind of deductive capability- you should be a detective!" Blair deadpanned before he pressed the blend button. The whirring noise blotted out Jim's pretend scowl and mumbling while they grinned at him.
The soup turned out to be very tasty and easy for Jim to eat; Sally had given the past few days careful thought. He got out of washing and drying up duties because his injuries. He went to his room to finish off his one handed packing.
Finally they were ready to go. He leaned down to give Sally a one armed hug and kiss on the cheek- she told him to be careful and gave Blair a container of leftover soup.
"Bye dad, thanks for everything. I'll keep you posted on how thing's are going. Take care."
"Don't overdo it son and come back soon."
0o0o0
The beginning of the drive home was fine but then he began to have trouble concentrating and he shut his eyes to reduce the disorientation. Blair didn't bug him about it but his quiet "Jim? We're here." broke into his semi trance. Jim took a breath and carefully looked around; nothing was see-sawing so he got out of Blair's car with relief.
"Okay?"
"Yeah, just a little motion.. thing…you know.." he explained as Blair retrieved his luggage and they headed for the lobby and the elevator.
Several minutes later they were finally in the Loft. Home at last! He knew Blair watched him as he automatically checked the Loft with his senses.
"Is it safe? Can I carry your bag upstairs now?" Blair asked dumping his own duffle onto the wood floor with a rustley thud.
"Yeah, everything's fine, go ahead but don't expect a tip Junior!"
"Respect, I never get any respect," his Guide muttered as he trudged upstairs whilst Jim checked the phone for messages and then sat down at the table sorting the mail.
0o0o0
Jim
Sandburg quiet was not always a good thing Jim realised on the drive home from his check up. Blair had been furious at Jim and his dad.
"You know I only want the best for you, to help you! How can I do that when I don't have all the information?"
Little things like finding out how worried the doctors in ER had been about his eye and his amnesia. And when Dr Geraghty mentioned altered states and asked if he'd had any more flashbacks with that weird language, Jim actually thought Blair's head was going to spin and explode.
"Your dad thought it might be something to do with your time in the army! Peru!" Blair seethed as they pulled up to some lights, "Unbelievable."
"I don't remember the accident and I don't remember speaking Quechua in the hospital! I didn't know who I was or anything! I guess dad forgot about it." Jim defended himself but still felt like he was six years old and caught stealing biscuits from the kitchen for his little brother.
"Huh." And Blair didn't say another word the rest of the journey. He had calmed down enough to make some phone calls and organise a series of sessions with a hot tub/whirlpool at a local gym- the first one later that day. Jim was looking forward to this recommended treatment for his bruises and aches already. Being poked and prodded by the doc had stirred things up. His sore cheek hurt and that spread up into his neck and shoulder into just one big pain.
Maybe it would relax Blair too.
0o0o0
/
"Enqueri!"
There were green leaves and dark earth and cool rain but he did not know where he was or who he was. There had been death and falling and blood and oil and blood. Digging and metal tags and a man with a painted face. His head ached and everything hurt.
"No!" he gasped, fighting to get free.
"Yes! It is alright. Rest and all will be well. Your Guide is here. Do not worry."
/
"Jim? You're alright! You got out of the car; you're not trapped, okay? C'mon wake up!"
Jim bolted awake, his heart pounding, sweat drying on his face and body. "Wh't?"
"Bit of a nightmare going on there buddy?" asked Blair, passing him a glass of water.
Jim ran a hand through his hair stopping at the stitches and then rubbed his face carefully. The soothing whirlpool tub had made him feel much better, but apparently relaxed enough for the monsters to creep out of the cupboard. Although Incacha wasn't a monster as such – he just popped up unexpectedly, confusing the hell out of him like the proverbial bad penny.
"No, actually I think it was a memory, scrambled bits of the crash. Unexpected but okay. Rest and be well."
"Rest and be well? Sounds like good advice, man. You going to be alright now? No pains, nausea?" Blair looked ready to run off to the drugstore at any second.
"Incacha was a wise old man. I'm not okay but I'm getting better- slowly. I think that's the message. You can stand down for the rest of the night." Jim advised.
"Right. If there's nothing I need to worry about, I'll go back to bed."
"Night Chief."
"Night Jim-boy."
Jim sighed heavily and turned over relaxing into his pillow. Tomorrow was another day……
END