This is a sequel to The Incident In Cell Block C - I was asked to write a sequel exploring the confrontation between Jim and Blair when Blair gets home from his adventure at Starkville Prison.
Explanation from Blair Sandburg as To the Incident in Cell Block C
Blair pulled into the parking lot beside the apartment building. Just as he suspected, Jim's truck was parked in the lot. Blair turned off the car and sat there. He would have to face Jim right away. His earlier thought of coming clean to Jim would have to be done now. No chance to have a little time to himself. Well, he had enough time on the drive home.
Blair got out of his car, knowing Jim would become concerned if he sat here any longer. With Jim's heightened senses, he would know something wasn't right. Blair walked inside the building, hoping Jim would give him the opportunity to reach the loft before demanding an explanation.
Blair groaned when he realized the elevator wasn't working. He wasn't sure he was up to climbing three flights of stairs. But he turned towards the stairs, beginning the ascent. He kept his head down, using all his concentration just to place one foot in front of the other continuously.
After a time, something impeded his forward motion. He tried to get around it, but it was like a wall. Then, the wall spoke.
"Chief? What happened?"
Blair looked up and up.
"Jim?"
"What happened?"
"Let's get into the apartment. I need to sit down."
"What happened?"
"Jim? I promise I'll tell you the whole story once I get inside the loft. Please." Blair winced at the whine he heard in his own voice.
"Okay, but I want the WHOLE story."
Jim grabbed Blair's right upper arm. Blair suppressed the cry of pain. But Jim didn't miss the increase in Blair's heart rate.
"Chief?"
"Just let go of my arm, Jim."
"Sorry."
The final two flights of stairs were made in silence. Jim wondered what had happened and Blair was debating in his mind just how much he would tell Jim and wondering if Jim would allow him to get it all out without commentary.
Jim ushered Blair through the door once he unlocked it. A small chuckle escaped from Blair as he walked past Jim and headed towards the couch.
"You find something funny?"
"Just you, man. The only person I know who'd lock the door to come down two flights of stairs." Blair flopped down on the couch.
Jim got two beers out of the refrigerator and brought them over, handing one to Blair and then sitting himself down beside Blair on the couch.
"Okay, Sandburg. What happened?"
Blair took a long swallow of beer. "No interruptions?"
"What happened?"
"You have a one-track mind, Jim!" Blair was fiddling with the label on the beer bottle.
"Quit the stalling tactics, Blair!"
"Okay. Okay. Chill, man!"
Blair took another drink and then started his talk.
"Just let me speak. Today is Wednesday, so I teach English and History in Cell Blocks A & C."
At that moment, the phone rang. It rang a second time.
"You gonna answer that?" Blair asked, looking over at Jim.
"No!" Jim growled, staring back at Blair.
Blair got to his feet and walked over to answer the phone. Jim just stared after him.
"Hello." Blair glanced over at Jim and quickly looked away from the scowl. "Yeah. Sorry about that Jesse. No, I'm just fine. Yes, I'm resting. Thank you again. Bye."
Blair hung up the phone, opened the fridge, pulling out two more beers, and then walked back to the couch. He placed Jim's beer on the table in front of him, and then sat back down beside Jim on the couch.
"That was Jesse, the paramedic that treated me at the prison. But, I'm getting ahead in my story. Where was I?" Blair took a drink of his beer.
"Oh, yeah. I was in the midst of teaching about the Civil War, the Battle of Antietam, when a fight broke out between two students…er, inmates. I had training by the guards in breaking up fights when I was hired." Blair paused, taking another drink from his bottle. He put the bottle down on the table and got to his feet, starting to pace back and forth. He glanced at Jim, noticing the same stare as before.
"Sorry. I tried to break the fight up. I didn't notice the weapon the one had and it cut my left hand. That's when all hell broke loose in the classroom. I was grabbed by several guys and led from the classroom. There were several punches to my mid-section and my arms were bruised from being led from the classroom. The guards didn't react because they thought I'd be hurt more. We ended up in the recreation area outside. I was being held by two of the more violent inmates. The warden had sharpshooters surrounding the yard. They took out the two holding me. I didn't even flinch when the shots were fired."
Blair stopped his pacing, turning to look at Jim. Jim was looking at the floor. But Blair could see the clenched jaw. Blair walked back over to sit beside Jim on the couch.
"I'm fine, Jim. And there's an inquiry going on. There will be a shakeup. Someone didn't do their job."
Jim looked up and over at Blair.
"I don't want you going back there, Blair. I didn't want you there from the beginning."
"It's not your choice, Jim. I'm a grown man, free to make my own decisions. And if I give up and don't go back, then the inmates win. I've discovered I make a difference there. I'm going to return tomorrow. If I don't, they win. There's no way I can let that happen."
Jim reached over and took Blair's bandaged hand in his.
"How bad a cut?"
Blair looked down at his hand in Jim's. Then he looked back up at Jim.
"Not bad. Jesse said it wasn't too deep. He cleaned and bandaged it. My shots are all up to date. I'll be fine." Blair gently pulled his hand from Jim.
"Next time, don't get in between two inmates fighting."
"Don't worry. I learned that lesson. And I'm going to ask the warden for a guard to be in my classes. All of my classes."
"You've learned several lessons."
Both men fell silent, sitting side by side on the couch, drinking their beer.
Blair was sure Jim wouldn't try to get his credentials either pulled or cancelled.
Jim was sure Blair would return with a more cautious outlook and continue to make a difference, one inmate at a time.