"Jim? What happened?"
"Stupid kids. Someone found a bodybuilding magazine in someone else's locker. One look at the kid would tell you he was buying it for the protein supplements, not the muscle men."
"Jim..."
"It doesn't matter anyway. I know. The other kid begins shouting that Munsen's a fag, and the others join in."
"What happened?"
"Munsen wanted to fight, of course. It took me an hour to get everyone calmed down."
"Was there a fight?"
Jim took a deep breath and sighed. "Thank God, no. It was the whole freshman squad against one kid, and even with his muscles, that's not my kind of odds."
"What took an hour?"
"Convincing them that it made no difference. I just thought, 'What would Blair do?'"
Blair bit his lower lip. "It was your own good sense. Dinner's ready."
"Yeah. I could eat."
Blair kept a steady stream of commentary about his day. He'd truly enjoyed teaching Mrs. Smith's classes. They'd had unique insights into "Flowers for Algernon." He tried to draw Jim out, but Jim just grunted and ate the soup. However, Jim did let him show him how to write a basic lesson plan and to give him other hints.
"Jim, I watched you coach those kids. You know how to teach. Just use the same skills in the classroom."
"That's not how you teach."
"So? I do question and answer. You do skills and drill. What's the problem? Start the kids with something to do when they come in. Review the homework. Teach them the next chapter and make sure they understand it, and give them time to start homework before class ends. Just like you do as a coach."
Jim blinked a couple of times. "I can do that. I can even tell them stuff not in the book."
"Exactly. I know we're not going to be here very long, but so long as we are, we have a duty to these kids. You can do it."
Blair leaned over the sample lesson plan and pushed his glasses up. Jim leaned closer. For a moment, Blair thought he heard Jim sniff his hair, but shook that notion off.
"I know the Revolution cold. All I need to do is get it organized, right?"
"You got it, Jim. I'll take care of the dishes now."
Jim was so absorbed in his plans that he didn't respond. Blair grinned.
-------------------
That night, Jim's screams woke him from a sound sleep.
It wasn't Jim's first night terrors. As Blair pulled on a pair of sweats, he tried to think of what might have triggered these. The last time it had happened was when Jim started remembering finding his friend's body.
He climbed the stairs, making as much noise as possible. He knew what he'd find, but that didn't make it any easier. Jim was sitting as far back on his bed as possible, his eyes wide open but not seeing, his hands fending off some unseen attacker.
"No, get away! Get away! Don't...don't...please, don't! Da...don't!"
Blair stood there, wringing his hands in pain and frustration. This was not the Jim he knew. It was a frightened child whom he couldn't help.
If he tried to touch him, Jim would retreat further. If he said something, either Jim wouldn't hear or scream louder. Even the "guide voice" wouldn't help. This wasn't a Sentinel thing. It was a Jim thing. And Jim wouldn't even remember it in the morning.
All he could do was stand there and hope that Jim wouldn't hurt himself, and wait for the terrors to end. They took a few more minutes, but they did end. Jim's breathing calmed and his eyes closed again as he went back to sleep. Now Blair could do something.
Gently, Blair touched Jim's shoulder. Jim didn't pull away, nor did he wake. He moved closer to Blair. Blair continued to stroke him, comforting him into a deeper sleep.
"It's all right, Jim. You're in your own loft, in your own bed. No one is after you. It's only me, only Blair. Everything is going to be fine."
Blair had found that if he did this, Jim would sleep until morning with no memory of the night before. If he didn't, Jim might experience more terrors. He'd spend some time speaking to him and petting him, and then, when he could be certain Jim would not dream like that again, he'd slip quietly down to his own bed. Sometimes he even managed to get back to sleep himself.
He'd tried to get Jim to talk to someone about these terrors, but Jim refused to even believe they happened. After all, he didn't remember any of it.
Jim looked so peaceful, finally, and oddly young. Beautiful, too. Blair did as he sometimes did in the past and gave into temptation. He kissed him, as lightly as possible, just a brush of lips against Jim's forehead. He'd long ago accepted that he'd never have anything more, and tried to make himself believe it was enough.
"Good night, Jimlove. I'll see you in the morning."
He got up to leave, but found that he couldn't - Jim had somehow gotten hold of his hand, and was not letting it go. This had never happened before. Jim's grip was like iron. He couldn't make him let go without waking him, and Blair was not about to wake him.
"You don't want me to go tonight? Okay, then. I won't."
Resigning himself to a sleepless night, Blair crawled into the bed next to Jim. Eventually, Jim's grip would relax, and Blair could creep downstairs. Or so he hoped. It took hours. Blair found himself dozing on and off, but he always awoke to Jim's hand holding his. Finally, as the sky began to turn faintly pink, Blair could free his hand.
'The first time I get to sleep with Jim and not only do I not sleep, he doesn't even know about it.'There would be a couple of hours until dawn. He'd manage to get in a little more sleep.
-----------------------
Jim was disgustingly chipper the next morning.
"Chief, I have a feeling today is going to be just fine."
Blair, who was holding on to his blender to stay upright, only moaned at him.
"I just have to remember that I'm the teacher, right?"
"Yeah, sure, Jim. Did you make coffee?"
"Want me to get you some, Chief?"
Blair poured himself a cup of algae and nodded.
"What's wrong? Did you have a bad night?"
"Yeah, Jim."
"Too bad. I slept great." Blair couldn't summon up the energy to roll his eyes. He took the coffee cup from Jim and sipped at it gingerly. Too hot, but he needed it. Five classes again. And that Andrea Nox person would be after Jim again.
Two cups of caffeine and a shower later, he was ready to go. He was about to get into his Volvo when Jim stopped him.
"Look, Sandburg. You're clearly not in good shape. Why don't I drive us both to school today?"
"Because we supposedly just met yesterday?"
"Yeah...and Coach Ellison and Mr. Sandburg found out they live close enough to car pool."
Blair was not about to argue. Especially not with a Jim who was downright *perky*, as ridiculous as that notion was.
"Okay. You win. But that means I drive tomorrow."
Blair's instincts took over when he got to his classroom. The kids seemed excited that he was back as Mrs. Smith, as the students put it, and they were even more excited over "Charly."
By the time his break rolled around, he was wide awake, with the exhilaration that a good class always provides. Jim was looking decidedly *less* perky in the teacher's lounge.
Andrea Nox was still trying to hit on him, but this time, for some reason, Jim was not responding.
"Hi, neighbor!" Blair handed Jim a cup of coffee.
Andrea shot him a look. "Neighbor?"
"Yeah. We live on the same block."
"Thanks, Sandburg."
"Sandburg? *You're* Mr. Sandburg?"
Blair sat down on Jim's other side, cradling his mug.
"Yes. Blair Sandburg, substitute extraordinare."
"My freshman girls can't stop talking about you."
Blair shrugged.
She continued. "That's not always safe, you know. You'd better be careful."
'Blondie, I've fended off the advances of any number of college freshmen, of both sexes. I can handle some teenagers.' Blair sipped his coffee.
"I'll be okay."
She just nodded, and after a few more minutes of aggressive flirting were ignored, stalked away.
"So, how have your classes been this morning?"
Jim looked at him. "They're still little monsters. I still hate high school. But they are doing their work, so it's better."
"Did my suggestions work?"
"To a point. I hate kids, you know that?"
Blair just grinned.
A short-haired woman approached them.
"You guys are the talk of the school, you know."
Jim growled into his coffee. Blair grinned at her.
"What are they saying?"
"I let the girls pick the topic for the debate club yesterday. They chose to debate over which of you has the bluest eyes."
They looked at each other's eyes for a long time. Blair found himself getting lost in the depths of Jim's...
"Well?" She sounded amused.
"He does!" 'Oh, God. We didn't say that at the same time?'
The woman laughed. "I see. Well. Andrea's wasting *her* time, isn't she?"
Jim looked confused, but Blair was starting to panic. "We just met."
She just nodded. "Don't worry. I'm the last person who'd say anything." She smiled and walked away.
"We're in trouble, Jim."
"What are you talking about, Chief?"
"She thinks...she thinks...she thinks we're involved."
"What! That's ridiculous."
"Jim..."
"She thinks we're sleeping together? That we're a couple of...of...a couple?"
"Shhhh! Jim, I don't know. Maybe. For two guys who just met, we spend a lot of time together."
"Maybe she just knows we're here as cops."
"Jim..."
"Sandburg, don't worry about it. Even if she does think so, she just said she wouldn't tell."
"Right, Jim."
The bell rang.
--------------------------
Blair had to wait for Jim's practice to be over this afternoon, since they'd come in Jim's truck. He took his lesson plans and used the time to write a quiz for the next day.
A couple of upperclassmen were hanging around the gym, too.
"You Mr. Sandburg?"
"Yes. Can I help you?"
"My girlfriend talks about you a lot."
"She does?"
"Yeah. Mr. Sandburg this, Mr. Sandburg that. You're not so hot."
Blair shrugged.
"You got those earrings and that long hair, and everyone says you're always around Coach Ellison."
"Yeah, I heard you was a couple of...you know." The other boy flipped his wrist.
"'Were', not was. Where did you hear that?"
"Around. 'Course, lookin' at Mr. Ellison, I guess that's not right."
"So, I'm gay because I wear earrings and Mr. Ellison isn't because he's muscular?"
The two boys looked at each other in confusion.
"I'll bet you two are always hanging out together."
"So? We're buds."
"And Mr. Ellison and I can't be 'buds'?"
"Look, all's I know is that we don't like fags in South Cascade. And we don't like fags who steal our girlfriends, neither."
"I see."
Blair wondered briefly if the kid had even heard what he himself had just said. Then something on the court took his attention.
Jim was talking to a group of boys seriously. One was pointing to the other. Not for the first time, Blair wanted Sentinel hearing.
Suddenly, one boy made a fist, but Jim managed to stop it. That boy began to shout at him. Even Blair could hear it.
"Get your stinking hands off of me, you fag!"
Jim, who had touched the boy for a moment, stood there very quietly. Blair picked up his materials and walked down the bleachers. The older boys looked at each other, but stayed where they were.
"I'm not touching you, Jack."
Jim was using his "See how calm I am" voice, and was wearing the corresponding smile. Blair knew, even if the boys didn't, that it was time to worry.
"You were!"
"And what were you doing?"
Jack, stymied, just stood there.
"You're still a fag!"
"Really?"
"Yeah...cause you're always on Michael's side."
"Ah, and what would it make me if I were always on your side?"
"That's easy, Mr. Ellison." Blair knew that a new voice would carry.
"Mr. Sandburg? What are you doing here?"
Jim didn't sound happy, but Blair forged ahead.
"If Mr. Ellison was always on one person's side, he'd be unfair, wouldn't he?"
The other boys nodded.
"Is Mr. Ellison on Michael's side?"
"He's always sticking up for him."
"Was he, or was he doing his job by preventing a fight?"
"Mr. Sandburg..."
"Michael, what would have happened if you had hit Jack?"
"I dunno."
"Mr. Ellison?"
"If there had been a fight, both Jack and Michael would have been suspended."
"Ah, and then Michael would have stopped being what you thought he was, even if he wasn't in the first place?"
Jack paused to decipher what Blair had said.
"Uhh...no, I guess not."
"Should Mr. Ellison have let the fight continue?"
"No."
Blair nodded and walked back to the bleachers
Jim led the boys through some cooling down exercises, and followed them off to the showers, but not without letting Blair know they'd talk later. The older boys disappeared.