Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story Microsoft Word Chapter or Story

- Text Size +

Story Notes:
This is going to be a series of short X-overs. Even if you normally hate this type of story, please hang in. All questions from the original story will eventually be answered and I really think this bunch of pieces will be fun. I know I had fun trying to work in nine different universes! Feedback isn't required, but how can I know when I suck demon farts if noone tells me?




((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

As they sat together around the kitchen table in the Seacouver house where so much had changed in all their lives over the past few weeks, Jarod and Methos finished a sparse breakfast while the older man studied a sheaf of stapled papers Jarod had typed out the night before. Sipping at a fresh cup of herbal tea, Jarod pushed away the remains of his food and gazed critically at Methos, hoping for a positive response to his ideas.

"Well. Not bad, Jarod. Not bad at all. You really thought this out. Beautiful strategy for keeping them off your trail. Every time they latch onto one of your stings anywhere in the country, most likely it won't be you. How many candidate names have you got so far?"

"Only ten or twelve. I'm sure some of them will turn me on to others they've heard about."

"Probably. I hate to see you go, son, but this is brilliant. You're gonna have a ball. Some of these people sound... really interesting. I applaud the name change too by the way. Kyle Paxson. Son of peace. Marvelous tribute to your brother and your new direction in the world."

"That's what I intended. Noone will know that but you and Duncan of course. Where is he, anyway? He promised you'd both sit with me in the den and explain some of the things on that video tape I found."

Laughing, Methos rose and retreated with his coffee in hand.

"Oh, no. That porno was his, not mine and if you want a lecture series on it, you'll get it from Macleod when he gets back from the beach! He lit the fuse on this atom bomb and I'm staying well away from ground zero! Where are you headed first?"

"Not too far away. The first candidate just lives up in Cascade...."

((((((((((((((((((((((((

"Three veggie burgers, two baked potatoes with everything... the organic Caesar salad and a double thick chocolate shake, please."

Amused at the unusual order of the man two or three customers in front of him, Blair Sandburg chuckled quietly to himself and began to surreptitiously study the man's reflection in the glass over the raised menu board. To his surprise the man was well built, but on the thin side, telling Blair that either he didn't eat like that all the time, or he played at least four different sports, and daily, to burn it off.

When the stranger received his food, the somber face broke into an open, utterly guileless smile that made Sandburg's heart lurch in his chest and immediately drew him in. Though his reaction frightened him a little, Blair gave in to what his mind was telling him to do and spoke as the dark haired young man passed him on the way to find a seat.

"I... I'm really sorry... I have no idea why I'm... would you mind if I joined you... for lunch I mean?"

Pausing, the man surveyed him briefly, seeming to be reading his expression, then smiled again, more lightly this time.

"No. I wouldn't mind at all. I'll be over there."

"In the far corner?"

"Right."

"Give me ten minutes?"

"Sure."

Once he'd been given his meal, Blair moved out of the path of other customers and stopped, gripping his tray tightly and wondering what the hell he thought he was doing. Drawing a deep breath, he caught a whiff of adventure in the air, surrendered to it and made his way to the table in the far corner.

"Uh... hi. The name's Blair. Blair Sandburg."

"Kyle Paxson." the other offered as Blair set his tray on the table, slid the chair out an inch or two, then pulled it back under him as he sat down.

"So, Blair Sandburg. What can I do for you today?"

"Huh? Oh... I swear I've never done something like... wow. Let me explain. I'm a graduate student in anthropology at Rainier University. Faces are a big part of the study and... yours just... intrigued me incredibly. When you smiled at the cashier... oh, man. I sound like an idiot of the first order. I'm sorry. Really, sorry. Okay. I'll quit apologizing and just slink away, now." Blair mumbled, rising to leave and find a hole to jump into.

Swiftly, Jarod laid a gentle hand on Blair's wrist. He gazed up at him only for a second or two, but spoke volumes in that brief moment. Blair hesitated, and then resumed his seat.

"Relax. You decided to make a connection. Even if neither of us knows what it is yet, there was a reason. Don't leave before we find out."

"Yeah... Yeah, I suppose you're right. So, why are you in town, Mr. Paxson? This isn't exactly Seattle or L.A."

"No, it isn't. Best reason I know of for being here and not there. I'm a recruiter... sort of."

"Really? That's so cool. What corporation?" Blair asked through a mouthful of fajita, finally comfortable enough to begin his own lunch.

"Not corporate. I'm a... private contractor. And what do you do when you aren't involved in your studies?"

"I'm a consultant to the police department. My... mmm... sorry. My roommate's a cop." he explained, wiping a dollop of picante sauce from his lip with a napkin. "A detective, actually."

"Really. Maybe the three of us could get together while I'm here. I'd love to meet him too."

"Sounds great. Between the station and student teaching I don't have much free time, but... Shoot!" he exclaimed, catching a glimpse of the time on his watch. "I have to be back at school in twenty minutes! Before we met..."

"You were planning on take-out. It's alright. I understand. Here's my card. I'll be in town all week. Call if you and your partner have a night free."

"Definitely. Here's our home number... and my cell." Blair told him, scribbling rapidly on a clean napkin then gathering his tray. "If it isn't me who answers, it'll be my best friend Jim Ellison. You probably won't get more than three words out of him, but don't let him get away with it. Make him talk to you. Enjoy your lunch and your time in Cascade. It's a beautiful area. Bye."

"Goodbye, Mr. Sandburg."

"Blair. Please, it's Blair." he corrected as he headed out the door with his lunch in a paper sack.

{Yes. Beautiful and lucky too, it seems. My first day in town, I walk into a cafe and meet the partner of the man I came here to find. What are the odds of that? Thanks for lending me your spirit guide, Methos. Let's just hope it keeps working.}

(((((((((((((((((


Three days later, Blair found the encounter in the cafe still persisting in the back of his mind, unwilling to leave his thoughts or allow him his normal level of focus. The wind swept his hair back off his shoulders as he and his partner stood on the roof of their building, but he barely noticed that or anything outside of his own head until Jim spoke sharply to him, pulling him away from his reverie.

"Yo, Sandburg. Are we doing this or what?"

"Hmmm? Oh. Right. Sorry. That guy I told you about? I can't stop thinking about him, wondering if he'll really call."

"You're obsessing. If he wants to, he will. He's probably got his own stuff to do. Let's get on with this so I can have breakfast."

"Of course. Let's try piggybacking your sense of smell on your hearing."

"What good's that ever gonna do me or anyone else?"

"Certain explosives have a distinctive odor. Your ears will tell you where it is, your nose might give you a better idea what it is."

"Makes sense." Jim mused, his eyes closing as he centered himself, his breathing slowing and deepening as he gathered energy for the task Blair had set for him; choosing any apartment in the building across the street and letting his ultra-sensitive body go to work. "Some morning show on T.V. .... doing a stupid celebrity interview or something. Mmmm. Yeah. Bacon. Western omelets... with jalapenos if I know my peppers. Man, I'm way too hungry for this. We can finish after I eat, okay Chief?" Jim said, heading for the roof door.

"Jim? Hey! One more! Jim! Just because I had the sense to eat before we came up here... it's not like I can do this by myself..."

Turning to follow his partner, Blair's grousing was interrupted by the faint buzzing of his cell phone. Excited, wanting badly for this to be the call he'd been expecting, he fumbled it from his pocket and hit the talk button.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Blair. It's Kyle Paxson. I hope this isn't a bad time. Not interrupting breakfast, am I?"

"Not mine." he replied under his breath.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, nothing. No it's a great time. I ate hours ago. How are you?"

"Fine. I was hoping today would be a good day to come and visit you and Jim."

"Really? Well... it is actually. He's on second shift this month and my lecture got canceled, so... yeah. Come ahead. 852 Prospect. I'll wait down on street level for you and show you up when you get here."

"Great. Say, ten-thirty?"

"See you then. Bye."

"Good-bye."

Slapping his phone closed, Blair did a small leap and a dance step and rushed down to the apartment to tell his partner the good news.

((((((((((((((((((


Just before the agreed on time, Blair stood at the curb in front of the apartment building, thumbs hooked into the front pockets of his jeans, fingers drumming nervously on his thighs. His expression was a far cry from the happiness he'd felt just after his conversation with Jarod. When he'd gotten back down to the loft, Jim had reminded him that they'd planned some personal time between breakfast and lunch that day.

Over the past few weeks, he and Jim had been making use of some of their free time to trade off hypnosis sessions. He was helping Jim focus and explore his sensory abilities and Jim, after learning the basic techniques, was trying to help him get past his powerful phobia of all things medical. So far, Jim seemed to be the only one getting anywhere. He was becoming stronger and more confident in the use and control of his talent while Blair only got more frustrated.

They had tried every trick he knew and even a few begged and borrowed from a friend of his in the psych department at the university, but his only progress was backwards. Nothing had enabled him to move past the solid blackness that hid the truth behind his overwhelming fear of being in, or sometimes even near, a hospital.

Lost inside his own head once again, Blair failed to realize when his guest pulled up to the curb, got out of his car and walked up beside him. A gentle touch on his arm resulted in a leap that landed him a few feet further down the sidewalk and brought an easy smile to the other mans face.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't want to disturb you, but..."

"No. It's... it's okay Mr. Paxson. Really. I guess I went wandering in here again." he told him, tapping his temple. "I do that a lot."

"Kyle, and I understand perfectly. I do it myself... quite often."

"Thanks. Why don't we head up? Jim really wants to meet you. We might have to cut it a little shorter than I thought when we talked though. In my excitement, I forgot Jim and I had something planned... something personal."

"I won't ask." Jarod chuckled. "I'm strictly a ladies man, but live and let live, you know?"

"What?! Oh... Oh, no! I didn't mean... Neither of us is gay! Jim and I both have... difficult things we need to work on. I showed him the basics of hypnosis and we've been taking turns helping each other in our off hours."

As they reached the third floor landing and approached the loft, Jarod was silent, watching Blair unlock the door. After a moment or two though, he put the sudden impulse he'd just been struck by into words, not quite sure why he felt compelled to speak the thought, but knowing it was right to do so.

"Would you mind if I stayed and observed? I won't say a word or interfere in any way, I promise you that."

"It wouldn't be a good idea." Blair responded as they moved inside and he shut the door quietly behind them.

"I should explain. Before I became a recruiter full time, I was a psychotherapist. I'm still licensed as a matter of fact. It really helps in what I'm doing now to be able to read the people I interview, to sense what they're thinking but not telling me. You get the idea."

"Yeah. I think I do." Blair murmured as he turned to face the other man.

{It is my turn, so Jim wouldn't be risking exposure or anything. Maybe an expert could even help me make some headway, or at least figure out why I haven't gotten anywhere up to now.} "I wouldn't mind... I guess. I'd even kinda welcome an objective set of eyes and ears, but it'll be up to Jim. Walk easy with him at first, okay? Being a cop he's... careful about strangers."

"He was military too?"

"Yeah. How did you know?"

"I didn't. The posture gave me a hint. He also throws off a "mess with me and I'll step on your head" aura you could feel ten miles away."

"I never thought of it that way... but you're right. He does. We've both been through the mill more than once. We always pull each other out before the water gets too rough. That's what made us so tight and what keeps us together... and I have no idea why I'm telling you this. Sorry, man..."

"It's okay. People do. I listen, give them feedback if they seem to want or need it."

"One of the curses of being a therapist, huh?"

"I don't see it that way. If I didn't want to help people..."

"You wouldn't have become one in the first place." Blair finished for him, laughing.

"Right."

When Blair moved off to join Jim in the kitchen, Jarod hung back, studying the tall man sipping coffee at the table as he paged slowly through a thick file folder. Almost immediately the other noticed the scrutiny and raised his eyes.

Abruptly, Jarod had to steady himself as Ellison's gaze locked onto him and pinned him in place as effectively as any laser beam. He endured the unsettling sensation of being scanned and appraised for several seconds, greatly relieved when Jim turned his attention back in Blair's direction and said something softly to him.

"Kyle? It's okay. He's done with the silent interrogation bit. You're acceptable to talk to his majesty."

Throwing Blair a look that clearly threatened bodily harm if the cracks continued, Jim rose halfway out of his chair and extended his hand as Jarod finally entered the kitchen. Greetings dispensed with, he dropped back to his seat and resumed perusing the file. Jarod took a chair himself, still reeling slightly from the intensity of the once-over he'd just been given. "He does it to everybody he meets for the first time. It's a ritual, now. My theory is it's the hair. If he'd let it grow out a little, maybe he'd loosen up."

"Sandburg..."

"Alright. I know. Could you maybe let the work go for a minute, though? We need to ask you something."

"We?"

"Yeah. I told Kyle the visit might have to be short. He asked why and I explained about the hypnosis. Turns out he's a recruiter and a psycho-therapist... since I'm up to bat this time, I thought..."

"I don't think so. I'm sorry, Mr. ..."

"Paxson."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Paxson, but I've only been doing this a few weeks. I'm not ready to have a pro hanging out while... I'm nervous enough as it is. You understand."

"Of course."

Rolling his mug of tea back and forth on his fingertips, Blair focused on the rippling liquid surface, trying to suppress his roiling emotions enough to speak.

"Jim... it isn't you, man. I told you, you're doin' fine. It's me. I'm at a dead end, and I... if he can see something... figure out where I keep goin' wrong, then maybe..."

Reaching out, Jim laid his hand on top of Blair's and stopped the motion of the cup, his expression slowly opening, softening. Watching closely, Jarod caught a glimpse of the bond the two shared and hoped he would be privileged to see more.

"It could be me. I do the best I can, but I'm new at this stuff. I know you're frustrated, Chief..."

Quickly, Jim looked from Blair to Jarod and back. "Okay. If you think he might be able to give us any ideas on what else to try... he can stay."

A smile blossoming on Blair's face again, he looked up at Jim, gratitude shining from every pore.

"Thanks, Jim. I mean... just thanks."

"Hey, if it helps, any humiliation I suffer will be more than worth it. Coffee, Kyle?"

"Herbal tea, if you have it."

Jumping up, Blair rushed to the cabinets and threw one open.

"Forty-eight different blends, some home-made. Take your pick."

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((












END PART ONE









You must login (register) to review.