12.
Simon reviewed yet again the faxed report from the New York Special Victims Unit. He scribbled notes on one of Blair's legal pads that always seemed to find their way into his office, as he picked his way through the pages.
Joel had been spot on with his assessment; this guy was a void, which raised his level of anxiousness about Blair and Jim's situation.
A brisk rap on his office door brought up his weary head. But it opened before he said one word, to reveal Ms Andrea Borne. Simon quickly closed the report before him automatically.
"Well at least I know that you are still among the land of the living," Andrea commented haughtily as she removed invisible dust particles from her pristine Burgundy jacket as she entered.
"I apologise Andrea, but I'm not following." Simon said as he come round to stand in front of his unusually chaotic desk. Did she always wear so much perfume? He found himself wondering as she encroached in his personal space.
"At 06.30 this evening you were going to pick me up at my office," she informed him pouting prettily. "Remember Simon, we had reservations at Shalans. For dinner with with my parents. Ring a Bell."She prodded.
I vaguely remember Shalans. But not the parents bit.
Simon hid his unease at this unexpected situation and began to apologise yet again.
"I'm sorry Andrea but something came up, that unfortunately had to be dealt immediately…"
Andreas disapproval showed clearly as she interrupted, "Simon you really have to delegate. After all you're a Captain, not some beat officer. Now lets go for an early supper."
Simon held onto his tongue…just. But was saved from it all by one Aussie sprite bursting through the door without warning.
"Whoops! Sorry Ms Borne," she slowed down enough to say. Then her excitement caught fire once more. "Captain we thank we've found our perps watering hole." she announced before retreating once more.
"WATERING HOLE?" Andrea inquired with a look of distaste at the exiting woman.
"Local place for alcohol," replied wondering what caused that glare. "I really need to go. I'll phone you when this is all cleared up." he declared gently escorting her to the elevator.
She would have been really worried learn that one Captain Simon Banks had dismissed her from his thoughts before her elevator car reached the lobby.
"Okay people enlighten me," Simon instructed as he entered the large bland briefing room that the Major Crimes crew had taken over.
"With our mans reported taste for young kids we contacted some of our colleagues who are working on a Child prostitution ring. And lo and behold up pops Mitchell Clelland. But like New York they haven't to convict, just circumstantial. The other man in the frame is one scumbag called Dylan Zacharry," H reported as he slid over an 8 x 12 photo to his Captain.
"Zacharry is known to vice. He's done time for pimping girls on the strip, but nothing about children before," Rafe added.
"Where was this taken?" Banks demanded glaring at the image in his hand.
"It's a dive on Western called the Dry Dock," answered Connor.
"Okay people it's been three days. I need to have something to tell Jim tonight. He's getting grouchy which can only lead to more problems. So what else do our colleagues have for us?" Banks demanded trying not to show how demoralised he felt.
"Nothing concrete. Just a lot of street talk that it is an English guy whose financing all of Zacharrys operations," H reported, " But again there is nothing to hang him. It's so damn frustrating. I just…" he halted as Simon's cell rang.
"Banks."
"You have a visitor in your main lobby. Her name is Sara, she has no one. If Clelland finds out about her, or that she's here…"
"Alright I get the picture," Simon snapped.
"Good Protect her."
"Okay…Hello!" Simon closed the cell and moved to the door. "Bloody Woman," he cursed.
"Star?" Megan asked eagerly, liking the unknown woman's style.
Simon nodded, "It seems we have a visitor. Take 5 while I get her."
Sara turned out to be one very frightened Sara DeWitt. For a 19 year old she was very petite and ethereal in appearance and demeanour
Her fear rose when the large detective who came for her brought her into the briefing room.
She hadn't expected the other people to be there too.
But she had been told that she would be safe here, and that she could do something really good. All by talking to this man so she didn't run…although she really wanted too.
Simon introduced everyone and sat the girl down beside Megan hoping that would relax her a little.
"So Sara what can you tell us?" He asked softly.
"I…I want…I'll tell you what I know…then if you wants…want," she corrected on a whisper, "I can tell you what I have heard. Is that okay?"
Megan smiled softly at the nervous youngster.
"That's fine Sara. You just talk and we will listen."
Sara looked round the faces in the room wondering if she was going to end up in trouble. She clutched at her worn bag, then took a big breath and began her tale.
"My mom worked for Mr Zacharry cleaning up the Dry Dock on Western. Do you know it?"
At the nods of the detectives she continued. "She also cleaned the two flats overhead. About a week ago I was helping mom cause she was feeling rather poorly and Mr Z wanted the flats decked out with the Good Stuff. You know the expensive linens, towels, good booze, and all that stuff. So mum started downstairs in the Dock and I started on the top flat. And that was okay…Mom hadn't come up yet. So I moved down to the other flat…I decided to start on the bedroom. And…And…and it was one big mess. The bed was tumbled and the sheets were stained…with blood and…well you know," she whispered embarrassed.
"Sara do you mean semen stains," Megan asked quietly.
The young face flushed as she nodded.
"Yeah, that's what I mean. That was embarrassing enough, but I could have dealt with it. Bit…but then…I saw what was on the photos all over the floor…"
She focused on Connor as if she would better understand being female too.
"It was little kids doing things…things they shouldn't even know about. Never mind do. I…I had to get outta that room…Just as well that I did. I got into the living room when Mr Z and some guy with a weird accent came in. Mr Z started yelling at me for being there, but my mom came in before anything else happened. He grumbled then said just to the living and kitchen area. Then he lifted some folder off one of the chairs beside the coffee table, then left together."
Simon looked around the poker faces round the table and knew the anger and distaste behind the stoic facades.
"Mom started on the kitchen. I was still shaking all over but I just wanted to get home so I started on the living area. I was polishing the glass coffee table when I noticed something sticking out between the chairs, "Sara rushed hoping she was doing the right thing. "It was a photo with a note attached."
Simon watched each officer restrain their need to ask questions as they took in the exhausted young woman before them.
"Sara would you like a cup of coffee, juice...?" he asked.
"No thank you," she replied courteously, and then continued to speak as if she knew if she stopped you would start again. "The picture was different …I really don't know why I took it. I'm not a thief sir," she stated adamantly glaring at the detectives.
"Of course not Sara," Connor encouraged. "Please continue."
"Next day my mom felt poorly again. She gave me a phone number to call. I did and that afternoon the lady came…"
"What Lady?" H blurted out.
"The Lady who called you," Sara explained in surprise. "The lady wanted to keep an eye on Mr Zs friend and paid mom for bits of information. She took me …mom and me away as soon as she found mom ill. She had her doctors look at her…"she paused and her head bowed down. "It was no good…Mom went to heaven that night."
"I'm so sorry Sara," Megan whispered remembering her own mothers passing. She looked again at the young woman before her, reassessing her first opinion of the girl. It took a lot of courage to do what she was doing today.
"Thank you," Sara replied quietly lifting her eyes to Megan's, smiling slightly at the support she saw there. "Yesterday she came to see me. I really don't know why I told her about the room and everything. But she looked so sick, I knew that I was right and that it was really bad…So I mentioned the picture and asked if she please might see it…Imagine a real lady like that saying please to me…Anyway she looked ill when she saw it and read the message on the note. After she stopped crying she explained that I could help her…and you by coming here. So I said yes. We left straight away after I said Goodbye to the others…"
"What others Sara?" Simon asked tensely.
"I'm sorry sir I can't tell you that. Only that they are fine and that there are two men and two women." Sara revealed slightly panicked at defying these people. After all who was she. But the Lady had said… "I'm sorry but…"
"Its alright Sara," Rafe interrupted hoping that she wasn't going to close down now. Sara looked at the young detective s smile and felt herself blush.
Sara do you know whom the photograph is of?" Megan enquired hoping that this just might reveal their needed miracle.
"No I don't, but he has the same eyes as the lady. She said you could see it if you wanted." From inside her sac Sara withdrew a folded portrait picture and handed it to Megan.
Megan pulled on some gloves before accepting it, and then carefully opened it out.
"Sandy," she gasped handing it over to Rafe who had an open evidence bag ready.
"You know him?"
"Yeah Sara I do. He is one of my best friends. The guys know him too," Megan replied taking just a minute to balance her emotions. "You mentioned something about a note," she prodded trying to stay very calm and not upset the young girl.
"It keeps falling off, but its in here," Sara answered before once more delving into the roomy sac.
The group stayed silent, all imploring their own deities and the ones Blair had told them about for this to be what they needed.
"Here it is," Sara, said triumphantly as she handed the slightly creased paper over to Megan.
Megan could feel her hands tremble as she folded out the creases carefully to see what was written on it. When this was completed she read it out loud.
Z This one is to go with the packages to the UK.
Damage is acceptable. Termination is NOT.
Have some fun on me.
Transfer on 12/09Megan stopped and gulped down the nausea that rose in her gut at the sick trade these supposed men were dealing in. Then she continued,
"Sir it's signed with some fancy scrawl. It could be Clellands signature. Do we have anything we can match it against?" She demanded hoping this would be the turning point that ended this mans deprived reign.
"Yeah," Rafe replied going through the file from New York to find the right page. Then sliding the copy across to Megan.
"It looks like it to me," she announced after a minutes perusal.
"Right we are on the move. Get that down to Forensics. Tell Serena to work her magic on it pronto," Simon said as H lifted the photograph and note now held in evidence bags off the table and scooted out the door.
It's a step in the right direction people but we still don't know if these packages are the children, or where and when then transfer is being made. And it is now the 8th,"
Simon cursed seeing the clock move its hands to 0105hrs.
Where did all the time go?
"It is still not enough," Joel spat his fury and worry evident in equal amounts on the normally jovial face.
"Did I do something wrong?" Sara whispered to Megan, her fear a tangible thing.
Simon overheard and spoke before Megan could.
"I'm sorry Sara. You have done nothing wrong. In fact you have done everything right and what ever happens I want you to remember that. Okay?"
Sara looked into the tired, worried eyes and felt pity for the man before her. She nodded then took another deep breath.
"Do you wanna to know what the street talk is?" she asked forgetting to speak properly in her exhaustion.
"Thank you that would be helpful," Rafe said with a grin, to which Sara blushed once again.
"They say that the man with the funny accent is the money man for all Mr Z operations, including a warehouse down near the wharf. He just bought it recently, but no body seems to know what for."
"Its not on his list of holdings Simon," Joel put in.
"Hey that could work. All he would need is a small boat to take the packages out to a larger boat. They get into International waters and we a right royally screwed," H put forward with a frown.
It made a kind of sick sense but without confirmation of some kind it could also be a diversion to keep them away from the real site. A mistake could have them end up with a lot of dead…or worse children.
Simon looked around the table at his pissed off and exhausted team, his friends, his family. His incomplete family because Jim and Blair were missing.
God what I wouldn't give for Jim to bring his talents in on this. But it would be just too dangerous for Blair and Jim wont have that. And I can't blame him, would my reaction be any different if it was someone I loved that had been caught in this web as a babe.
Shit, children are meant to be loved and cherished and above all protected. How can…
He halted his thoughts as he felt the sharks of defeat start to swim about in his mind. He pushed it away trying to go through what they had, but they came back time and again, stronger and more ravenous each time.
He was falling when the shrill ring of his cell phone interrupted his descent.
He saw the anxious pleas in the eyes of his friends as he answered.
"Banks"
"They have them in the Old Portland Road Warehouse, off Jenkins. The transfer is due to go down in 63mins, if you want them you have to move now," a hurried voice stated. I was the first time Simon had detected any fear in Stars cultured voice.
"Is Clelland there?"
"You deal with the children and the law. He belongs to me…"she retorted in a tone of ice.
"Star don't…" Silence. Simon took a deep breath while he sorted out his thoughts. Should he put his trust in her information? Could she be playing another game? TRUST? It all came down to trust.
"Right! Rafe tell our colleagues if they want these bastards we are moving now. They can have the collar I really don't care. We are moving now. Tell them to meet us in the parking garage in 10 or be left behind, I'll update them there."
Rafe moved to the phone and contacted his contacts with the news.
"Joel we need to contact the Coast Guard just incase this is a diversion and the other warehouse is being used. Megan see if you can get us some intelligent backup and a helicopter. Okay lets move we haven't got a lot of time."
Joel decided it was up to him to bring up a tricky question.
"Sir what about the Feds?"
Simon smiled, not a nice, pleased-to-meet-you smile. No this smile was totally feral.
"We can call them on the way…maybe."
Joel, Megan and Rafe chuckled as they left the room, bumping into a puffed H and dragging him along with them.
Simon turned his attention to the startled countenance of Sara DeWitt.
"Sara if you would come with me there is some one I would really like you to meet," he invited her gently. Then was very careful not to crowd her small frame as they moved along the quiet corridors to the Major Crimes bullpen.
There was only a skeleton staff on at this time of the morning, attending to calls and paperwork. Mostly paperwork.
Normally at this time the desk near his office would be empty, its owner safely tucked up in bed. But not even Simon Banks was going to prise Rhonda away from her post when Blair and Jim needed them.
Many would have scoffed at this. But not Simon, he knew the contribution this woman made. She dealt with all the outside irritants to allow the detectives to function at 100 percent, made sure they ate, took little breaks, had whatever files etc they required when they required it.
In fact Simon was sure that Rhonda could probably run his department quite satisfactory without him.
"Rhonda I would like to introduce to you a very special young lady. This is Miss Sara DeWitt, she has provided us with significant information regarding the Blair situation.
Could you possibly look after her till I get back?"
Rhonda looked up and smiled at the young girl as her mind processed her boss's nice speech.
In other words she doesn't get out of my sight for a second and no one, no matter who they are takes her anywhere until you return.
"Of course Captain," she answered with a knowing look, "Welcome Sara why don't you come round here and we'll have a chat…
Simon gave thanks once again for the people who surrounded him. They were the Best.
As he reached the smelly garage and the assembled officers, Simon realised that maybe…just maybe Jim and Blair would be able to come home tonight if all went well. Please God…
"LISTEN UP PEOPLE," he barked loudly and silence descended.
We have confirmed information that a Child prostitution ring that is moving kids out of the States is moving tonight."
Simon heard the disgusted rumble from the officers and saw the anger in the eyes of many as he continued.
"We want this clean and by the book. I know what we all feel about this scum. But any undue force or words spoken in anger gives these creeps a loophole to play with in court. I DON'T WANT ANY LOOPHOLES. We have notified officers from the nearest S.P.U. and they are on their way to help us with the victims. We also have air support and the coast guard is on alert in case they try a watery exit…
You all know the deal, No Sirens, No Lights, No Fuckups. We want to bring these kids home safely. Lets do this. Old Portland Road Warehouse, off Jenkins. Our principle players are Mitchell Clelland and Dylan Zacharry."
Megan and H handed out the copies of the profiles they had compiled along with pictures of their quarry
It made her want to vomit watching that thing pawing those innocent children, getting his jollies from their terror and revulsion. But if she moved to soon she knew she would be the cause of their deaths. She had to be cold about this she knew or this monster would come back to haunt them all again.
So she listened carefully from her eyrie in the rafters of the warehouse.
"…It looks like your niece isn't going to attend our farewell party. Such a pity I was looking forward to seeing her break," Zacharry cackled manically closing his cell phone.
McClelland made no comment, only the slight tighten of the now smoothly shaven jaw showed his displeasure at the alteration to his plan.
"So what do you plan to do about her now?" Zacharry prodded disappointed at getting no reaction from the other man.
Clelland looked at the scruffy ingrate before him and was glad he would soon be dealt with. But for the present he was useful, and his grovelling would be so precious.
"Why my dear Dylan I shall wait. She knows that I know the identities of the brats now and she cant hide them for ever." He answered turning to walk across the empty space to a small box office situated in the centre of the structure. "And she wont be able to standby while I have my revenge. That would not be honourable…"
She could hear no more of their words only their insane laughter.
Star sat carefully down on the beam and centred her being on what she was about to do. She went over each and every permutation, looking for deviations and finding solutions.
Her trainer would be proud of her detachment…
Then again he might just kill me for doing this alone. No, he'll understand…please Goddess make him understand…
She looked at her watch, 50 minutes had passed since her call to Banks it was time to move out. She slowly stretched her long black-clad leg out onto one of the steel beams that ran across the roof. It would have to be a slow stealthy crossing, as she would be totally exposed to the thugs below if they happened to look up.
The beam she had chosen intersected near the children with a concrete pillar. If she was in place there then she could protect the children.
And if anything bad happened Clelland would head toward the children hoping to use them to facilitate his escape. She knew her quarry well.
Star felt the familiar black ice take over as her emotions fell away. Leaving only targets and goals to achieve in her thoughts. Gone was the woman, the lover, the human being all that was left was the warrior.
It was the warrior who silently traversed the beam, who now was in position to check her resources.
Resources, her soul laughed cynically. A word to distance her from the weapons she carried and was so proficient in. That done she sat silent and still watching the group of children huddled together. Their faces showed the passage of their trauma, their hold on each other their only semblance of peace.
She felt the nausea rise through the barrier of ice, recognising the look in those eyes. She saw it flitting behind her own eyes everyday, but it didn't control her. And she wouldn't allow it to control them.
It ends today. Both of us die today uncle.
In the end it went down very quickly. Banks people took out 4 of the thugs before a single shot was fired. At that first indication of trouble a shot rang out from the box office and Clelland appeared gun in hand, eyes wild in his face.
Like the animal he was he sought his bolthole. In this case the children he would use to shield him, or barter to get out.
No one impeded his path to the children. Smugly he stretched out his soft leather clad hand to one of the older girls intending to use her as a shield, when he felt it explode with cold, incisive pain. He felt his knees give way as he pulled his injured limb to his chest. He looked down to see what damage had been done. But all he could see was a bloody mangled mess.
Slowly the high-pitched childish screams impinged on his brain. For once their fear gave him no pleasure. He wanted the cause to stop now.
He raised the other hand in witch he had the gun and shakily pointed it at the cause of the noise. He felt the cold sweat run over his body, but he wouldn't allow that mongrel bitch to win. She had to pay for his brother's death…
"Come out you f----- bitch or these brats take your place. Its time bitch," he screamed pulling himself back up and advancing on the whimpering child.
Suddenly he felt an ice-cold intrusion in his back. There was no pain, just a sense of his warm, well-fed, well-trained body betraying him. His legs buckled again as numbness flooded him. He tried to hold onto his gun but he had no control of his fingers and it fell with a clatter to the filthy floor.
Only then did he hear the soft footsteps behind him and he finally knew fear, as he waited for the face of his death.
But the footsteps passed him by. He tried to move to see her, his nemesis but couldn't. He could only hear her soft voice.
"It is alright now children. I want you to stay here together until the police come for you. You go with a nice man called Captain Simon Banks. Do you think you can remember that?
"Uh huh…thank you," one of the older boys said. "What about...?"
"Don't worry about him. He's not a problem. Promise."
He heard her footsteps again. This time she stopped behind him and he again squirmed trying to see her. As if she knew she kept still out of his range.
He wondered how she would do it. Would it be slow or quick?
Then he heard her words and knew it would be slow, so very slow.
"Physical death would be too quick for you, a release you do not deserve.
So for all the pain and degradation you have dealt to others Uncle," she spat,
"Live long as each is returned to you threefold."
He wanted to taunt her back, to make her so angry she would kill him. But the numbness had taken over his vocal chords and nothing came out.
Then there was only silence and fear as he screamed inside.
FOUR DAYS LATER.
"So nobody knows or should I say can prove who shot and stabbed Clelland?" Megan asked with a toothy grin.
"No officer saw anyone and the children…well they saw a black ninja. All we know for sure is that Clelland shot Zacharry, luckily for us not fatally. So he is singing so sweetly to the Feds, after we got a copy of it first of course. Times places names, the whole shebang. There are a lot of people waking up today to find that their money and celebrity can't protect them from this. Both here and in Europe." Simon took a breath as he took out a cigar from his desk, and then continued. "We also have it confirmed that both the bullet and the gun that fired it are definitely custom made. Probably one offs so no trace is going to be made."
"What about the knife wound, did it tell us anything?" Jim asked getting up to date with all their friends had been up to. They had returned to the loft at the all clear from Simon. But they had spent the time alone just settling back into their lives.
"Forensics couldn't match it to anything in their data base. They said that it was cone shaped and about 10cm long. But the interesting thing was they say it was thrown…"
Simon announced.
"That would be rather awkward to throw," Brown put in with a frown.
"Yeah it would take expert handling to get that design to go were you wanted it to," Jim agreed thinking of his own special Ops training.
"That not the kicker here," Simon continued. "The blade had been coated with a pretty potent chemical that basically attacked the nervous system, preventing delivery of the brains messages to the appropriate places…"
"So Clelland is what?" Megan growled hating the scumbag that had caused Blair's pain and doubt.
"Clelland has no motor control, no speech or hearing. His eyesight has been damaged but he can still see. The docs really don't know much about the substance used except that the major part of it came from a South American jungle plant." Simon reported to the attentive group, all but one.
"Sandburg! Not that it's not a nice change but you are very quiet. What gives?"
Blair smiled softly as he looked around the room at this extraordinary group of friends before speaking.
"I was just trying to figure out how I say thank you to you guy, without sounding like a Hallmark advert."
"I think you just did Sandy and you're very welcome."
" Yeah you guys Welcome Home."
A knock halted any further conversation as Rhonda stuck her head in.
"Sorry sir but downstairs called Ms Sandburg is on her way up"
Naomi Sandburg swept into the bullpen like a tropical breeze and captured her son in a tight hug.
"Mom! Need oxygen here," Blair quipped striving to keep this meeting from becoming to intense.
Naomi released him slightly, but dropped her head to his shoulder.
"I am so sorry sweetie…can you forgive me?" she sobbed into his neck.
Blair tightened his hold this time.
"Mom its okay…honest its okay…Jim helped me to understand why you stayed silent. Its okay I understand. Love you mom…But where did you go? We were worried till we heard you were safe…"
Naomi lifted her head and bestowed a watery smile of thanks on Jim, before answering her son.
"I'm so sorry Blair. I didn't mean you to worry, but I went to London to see an old friend because I thought I saw Clelland in California. As you know now it was his brother, but at the time I thought I was seeing ghosts or going insane. I couldn't come back here in case he followed me to you. But my friend had died… so sad he was a good man. Anyway I talked to his son who is also a policeman. He couldn't help me much, so I was sitting in a hotel room trying to decide what to do next when a plane ticket was delivered with a letter. So I flew to Seattle…"
"Naomi," Jim interrupted seeing that she was about to fly off on a Sandburg tangent. "The message?"
"Oh yes!" she said hugging Blair tight again. "It said—I took care of him before. Trust me to do so again—and she did."
"So you've been in Seattle all the time?" Simon demanded roughly trying to mask his own heighten emotions. But from Connors grin he had failed spectacularly
"Oh no, that was just the first bit of our journey. We were met at the terminal by a limousine, which took us to a helicopter that took us to some estate. It was a really lovely place with…"
"Mom who's we?" Blair demanded this time seeing the tangent this time.
Maybe Jims right there is a Sandburg zone. Not that I'll every tell him that.
"There was Josef, Nicholas, Michelle and of course little Sara. And then there was Jay; he was the one who flew us out there. But he seemed to be in control of everything…such a lovely man," she concluded dreamily.
"Where are they now mom…the others?"
"I suppose they have returned home. Jay received a call yesterday. He was very angry with whoever was on the other end at first. Yelling in various languages about how stupid something was. Then he calmed down and started to laugh. A little while later he came to see us and said we were to pack immediately so that we could leave at a moments notice. He asked me to pack little Sara's belongings such as the were. I brought them with me. Will I be able to see the dear girl Captain Banks?" Naomi enquired missing the look of disappointment on her sons face.
Before Jim could say anything though a new voice intervened.
"Excuse me I'm looking for a…B. Sandburg Major Crimes?"
"That would be me," Blair replied wondering what it could be that this young man was delivering.
"Great man, just sign here and its all yours," the jean clad waif enthused as he handed Blair a pad while reaching into his oversized bag. Jim felt himself tense but didn't move.
The young man placed a midnight blue box dressed with a silver bow on the desk and waited for Blair signature.
"Do you have a senders id?" Jim asked wary about unsolicited parcels near Blair.
"Are you Ellison?" the kid asked with a smile.
"Yeah," Jim answered puzzled.
"Well this is yours then," the kid stated handing Jim a silver envelope. Jim took it carefully then seeing it wasn't sealed opened the flap…and smiled.
"Go head chief its safe." He instructed happily, shaking his head at his fellow officers who wanted to know what the letter said.
Blair returned the pad and the young courier disappeared.
Blair knew everyone was watching but didn't really care. He needed a pick me up and Jims card made him smile.
He hurriedly untied the ribbon and lifted the lid. He was greeted to snowy white and ruby red shreds of tissue paper. He moved the paper to see what it was protecting and gasped.
Inside protective polythene lay two roses just beginning to open: one was of the deepest red the other of the purest white he had ever seen. The roses were held in a white bud vase that had figures around its base.
Blair felt his eyes burn as he took in the she-wolf with her cubs. It was just so perfect.
He carefully lifted it out and passed it to his partner.
"Its beautiful chief. Is there a card?" he asked with a grin. He knew that Blair had guessed who sent it, but you never knew.
"I didn't look. Yeah, there is…" He replied withdrawing a small silver envelope.
He silently read it,
"Brother
I'm sure I don't need to explain the symbolism of the roses or the choice of vase.
Grant me the time to be with my poor neglected partner and I will honour my promise. For every word between us is a promise. We will see each other soon. Please be patient.
I am so proud of you Little wolf.
Always your sister.
He felt Jim's hand supporting him as the tears finally fell. He handed the card to him, who quickly read it and grinned.
" Looks like you get your wish Darwin."
"What wish?" Joel demanded worried at Blair's tears.
"Star is coming back to visit Blair," Jim announced. Pleased to see the smiles break out on their friend's faces.
"Sandy that's great. I look forward to seeing Jim go a couple of rounds with her," Megan teased.
"Welcome to the life of being the youngest sibling," Rafe commiserated, him being the youngest of seven.
Naomi looked totally confused, her gaze going from one joyous face to another.
"Captain Banks, who is this Star?" she demanded.
Which set everyone else off in peals of laughter.
A/N
Just the epilogue to go.
Thanks for hanging on, but for once Real life had to take precedence. Drat it.
