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Blair immediately began kicking and fighting to free himself as he watched a nurse checking Jim and begin to wheel him away from Blair.
"NO! LEAVE HIM ALONE! I CAN HELP HIM!" Blair screamed. But all he could now see was Jim's retreating back. Then police were there and Blair saw handcuffs and knew he had to get out of there. Now. He had to get back to the bridge. It was the only way to help Jim. He let his body go limp and when the man relaxed his hold, Blair kicked back and struck a very private part of the man's anatomy. The man screamed and let go. As soon as Blair's feet hit ground he was running. Down stairs, through corridors, down halls, the police and security close on his heels.
He made it to the lobby and froze. Uniforms. Coming in the front door.
"Bodile, I could use a little help here. A little abnormal travel?" Nothing. His head jerked right. Left. The ER! To his left. He turned and ran for the ER doors.
He pushed his way through them and ahead he could see the doors opening to the outside. An ambulance was backed up to them, with EMT's offloading a gurney. He could make it. He *would* make it. Had to make it. Because he had to find Bodile, had to be born...it was the only way to make things right, to save Jim.
"Jim," he almost sobbed the name. In that chair. His eyes so vacant. No! It would not happen. It did not happen.
He was outside, running for his life. He could hear sirens, yells but he just dug in deeper, ran harder, ran faster, on word urging him on........Jimjimjimjimjim......
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He could see the bridge. If he could just get to it. But the sirens were closer now....Please? Bodile? "Where are you?"
He made it. His chest was heaving, tears running down his cheeks.....he hit the railing and he could see......nothing. No one. Bodile was no where to be seen. And the sirens so close now.
"God, please....listen....I didn't mean it. I want my life back, please....let me be born," he was crying openly now, his hands clasped in prayer as he leaned against the railing. "Jim, I love you. I'm so sorry....please, please, Bodile, I understand, I really do....Every life lived.....".
Nothing happened. He didn't know what else to do. What to expect. He sighed and rested his head against the pole. It felt good, cool. He felt something soft and cold. He looked up.
It was snowing. A light, gentle, beautiful snow. And it was.....quiet. No sirens. Had they given up? He turned his head and looked down the bridge. Lights. He saw red blinking lights. For a moment he panicked. Then realized they were Christmas lights! Christmas lights?
But....slowly Blair touched his lip. His eyebrow. "Ouch!" And he had a headache! The cut on his lip, above his eye.....YES! He started jumping up and down......he remembered Jim's keys...he fumbled in his pockets, numb fingers found them. Right where he'd put them! He pulled them out and kissed them.
"I'm back! I'm back.....," he began shouting.
His joy was shortlived. Out of the corner of his eye he saw another set of blinking red lights and they were moving toward him. Blair began to back away as the lights, now attached to a car, crept closer. "Nonono, Jim, I'm so sorry, I tried....Oh, God."
The car stopped. A door opened, the passenger door and a tall man stepped out.
"Blair?"
Jim? Was that....was it.....Jim?
The man came closer, one hand held out.
"Chief, it's me. Jim. Talk to me buddy, you okay?"
"Jim? Is it really you? Are you.....okay?"
"Me? Hey, I'm not the one who saved a little girls life by plowing into a fence. Come on, Blair, let me check you out."
It was Jim. His Jim. And he was fine. At that moment Blair wanted nothing more than to grab the big man and hold him....for about three days. Oh, and kiss him....into unconsciousness. And why not? No reason he could think of at the moment. None at all. So he ran toward the older man and was surprised to see arms opening to receive him. He went straight in, wrapping his arms around the warm solid body and feeling arms closing around him in return.
The two men stood there, under the falling snow, wrapped tightly in each other's arms. Eventually Blair had to see his sentinel's face so he pulled back and heard Jim's groan of loss. Blair looked up into the face he knew so well, loved so deeply and reached up, pulled the head down and brought his lips to Jim's.
The first kiss was chaste. Just lips, gently touching. Blair wanted more....much more, but he needed to be sure. He needed to see Jim's eyes. It turned out not to be necessary at all as Jim's hand came up to cup the back of Blair's head and Jim's mouth descended again, this time lips open and inviting. Blair dove in with his customary enthusiasm, energy and curiosity.
"Ah, gentlemen?"
Reluctantly Blair pulled away and tilted his head past Jim's body to see Simon walking towards them.
"Simon? You're okay too? And Daryl? And Joel?"
"I'm fine, Daryl's fine, Joel's fine, everyone is fine...*How* are you?"
Jim turned, keeping Blair well within the circle of his arm.
"Trust me Simon, Blair is fine, perfect in fact."
"Yeah, I can see that. Let's get him back to the station, everyone's worried sick about him."
"Uh, guys, I'm right here. And why is everyone worried about me?"
"Oh, I don't know....grisly murder, we find the truck, smashed.....blood in the snow....no sign of you anywhere....an angry, 250 pound gorilla.....yelling...Jim was sure the guy had killed you. I had to physically restrain him. We've been driving all over the city...put an APB out on you. But other than that?"
"I'm sorry...I didn't mean...".
Jim interrupted, "No Blair, we're sorry. What happened back at the Cummings place, taking you outside....no excuse."
"Jim! The murder?"
"Relax, the perps in jail. We got a confession, out of the clear blue sky...It was Cummings business partner. He arrived a few minutes after you left and confessed the whole thing! Must have had something to do with the holiday, or the full moon!"
"So what "did" I step on?"
Both men suddenly looked very uncomfortable. Jim began to move to Simon's car.
"I'll fill you in on everything, but let's get you to the car, inside where it's warm."
Blair climbed into the back seat and wasn't at all surprised to find Jim climbing in with him. Once settled, Jim put his arm around Blair.
Simon got the car turned around and they headed back to the city.
"So. Did I destroy evidence?"
"Uh, no, not exactly."
"Not exactly?"
"It seems Connor lost a contact lens. She tried to interrupt, to tell us, but I reacted so quickly, got you out of the house so fast.....".
Blair processed this information.
"You mean, I stepped on a contact lens?"
"Ah, well, yes."
Neither Jim nor Simon were prepared for Blair's reaction. He erupted in laughter. Loud laughter. And he laughed long and hard until tears streamed down his face.
"You guys....<sniffle> just don't....<snicker> know....<snort>" Blair finally calmed down, wiped his eyes and decided to kiss Jim again.
He latched on tight and all the desperation of the day was poured into the kiss. Jim responded in kind, pouring all the worry, fear and longing that he been storing so long. Simon just drove.
They finally parted and Blair asked, "So, you don't seem surprised by this unexpected turn of events, Jim."
"Nope. I promised myself tonight that when I found you, if I...if you were alright...that I'd take you into my arms, kiss you senseless and tell you how much I love you."
"Well, two out of three ain't bad."
One eyebrow shot up and then Jim realized what Blair meant. The detective smiled and pulled Blair back into his arms.
"I love you Blair Sandburg."
"I love you James Ellison. More than you'll ever know."
EPILOGUE
"You did a fine job, Bodile. Even if you did plagiarize a little."
"Thank you sir. And you know, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."
"Well, then, I'm flattered. You really earned your wings. I'm proud of you."
Bodile smiled but it was a bittersweet smile. And it didn't escape
Mr."C"'s notice.
"Bodile? What's wrong?"
"I just wish I could have said good-bye to him, you know?"
"You can, Bodile, you can."
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As Jim, Simon and Blair walked into Major Crimes they were immediately engulfed by the other detectives. There was clapping and cheering and Blair caught snatches of, "How?" "Where was he?" "Is he alright?" "Thank God, hairboy."
Rhonda turned on the radio and Christmas music filled the bullpen as
Blair's back was being slapped, patted and pummeled by everyone who just had to touch "the kid" to ensure that he was really there. He saw Rafe beaming, Henri laughing, Joel seemed to have tears in his eyes as he gave Blair a big bear hug. Connor was smiling and handing him a glass of eggnog and Jim? Jim never left his side. He smiled. He answered questions, but he kept one arm tightly around his guide. Every few seconds their eyes would meet and they would both smile, a smile of promise, a smile of the future.
"Blair, this was just delivered for you." Rhonda handed him a small, gaily wrapped box. He looked at her, puzzled.
"For me? I wonder who? Maybe Naomi?"
"Open it, Chief. It's obviously a Christmas present. Go on, " he urged, "open it."
Blair tore the paper off to reveal a small, beautifully hand carved antique mahogany box. The carvings were of angels. Blair carefully opened the lid. Nestled inside was a Christmas ball ornament. Hand painted. The painting was of a woman, sitting on a cloud. She had auburn hair, dazzling green eyes and one leg dangled off the edge of the cloud. And attached to her back was a pair of delicate, lacy wings. On the other side was written a message. It read:
Blair, Thank you and take care of him.
Bodile
PS: "A life lived."
"Blair, who's Bodile?"
"An angel, Jim. Just an angel."
Jim looked worriedly at his *future*, but Blair was smiling so serenely that he took comfort.
"You going to tell me about her?"
"Yes, Jim, I'll tell you. Later, okay?"
Jim nodded, then pointed to the message.
"What does "a life lived" mean?"
"Any life lived has an impact on the world. And if that life is suddenly unlived, the world changes."
Jim gazed into the incredible eyes of the man he loved and felt a fear so strong he had to express it.
"God, Blair, I don't even want to think about life without you in it. But I know without me, you'd probably be Dr......". This time it was Blair who interrupted Jim by slapping his hand over the bigger man's mouth.
"Jim, Do not go there. Trust me on this, do * no * go * there."
"But.....".
"No. Okay? I'm here, you're here, we're together, it's Christmas Eve and when we get home I plan to *unwrap* you within an inch of your life. Got that?"
Jim's answering smile said it all.
Just then, there was a tinkling sound and everyone turned to look at the tree. One of the ornaments, a small bell, was being jostled. Everyone looked at each other....Another angel just got their wings....after all, they'd all seen, "It's A Wonderful Life."
Blair looked heavenward, smiled and said a silent thank-you to the newest angel.
finis