"He won't get out again, Cassie."

"That's what they said the last time."

Slowly, he lowered the paper to the desk, then placed his cigar in the ashtray. With a deep breath, he forced himself to his feet and walked over to the door. His hand wrapped around the knob, and he swallowed, bracing himself for what was to come next. Then he pulled the door open, locked his gaze onto the figure seated at the desk, and said, "Ellison, my office."

Ellison's head snapped up, and from the expression on the detective's face, Simon knew the man had picked up on the tone in his voice. Jim narrowed his eyes warily and stood up, following Simon into the office and closing the door.

"Yes, sir?"

Banks sat down and gestured to one of the empty chairs on the other side of the desk. "I think you'd better sit down, Jim."

Ellison complied. "Bad news?"

Simon nodded. "Jim... I uh... I received a fax from the San Francisco PD. Cassie was down there for a visit, and... well, they found her body yesterday. She was tortured... and shot through the heart with a forty-five." That was Chapel's M.O. The man had been dubbed the "Avenging Angel" by the press because he typically targeted criminals who had escaped the law.

Jim went rigid. "No." The single word came out as a whisper.

Simon closed his eyes briefly. "I don't know how to tell you this, so I'll just come right out and say it. Chapel escaped a week ago. They transferred him out of state, and he got out." He shook his head. "They don't know how he found out Cassie was in San Francisco, but he did."

Jim's face had gone white and he bolted from his chair. "Cassie told me that Chapel blamed her for his first arrest." He rushed to the door. "He'll go after anyone who interferes with whatever mission he thinks he's on. We've got to get to Sandburg."

One day, he thought. Cassie's body had been found one day ago... and the SFPD had said she'd been missing for almost thirty-six hours before that. Jim took another hard turn, pushing back the fear in his chest. Almost three days. Chapel had almost a three day head start, and he could be anywhere. In fact, he was most likely already in Cascade. He knew where Blair lived, and he probably already knew where Blair worked.

Jim pressed his foot harder on the accelerator, driving the truck dangerously down the road. He extended his senses, searching his environment for cars and pedestrians ahead of him so he would have ample warning to swerve or stop if needed. Minutes later, he screeched to a halt in front of Rainier's anthropology building, and leapt out of the truck, leaving the door hanging open and gesturing for the officers to wait outside. No use having a bunch of uniforms crashing through the halls unless there actually was a present danger. He kept his hearing tuned outward, searching for the sound of Sandburg's voice, or even his heartbeat.

Jim barreled through the corridor of Hargrove hall, relieved when he encountered the sound of Blair's voice. He followed its steady cadence, skidding to a halt in front of a closed door and peeking through the small window into the classroom. Blair stood at the head of the classroom, a small piece of chalk in his right hand, gesturing wildly as he explained something about pink dolphins.

Jim decided not to interrupt. He glanced at his watch, noting that it was only ten 'til the hour. Odds were, the class would end on the hour, so he wouldn't have long to wait. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and leaned back against the wall, waiting for Blair to finish his class.

True to Jim's guess, the class ended ten minutes later. Jim waited as the students filed out of the classroom, then he ducked inside. Blair stood over the podium, gathering some papers and stuffing them into a folder, completely unaware of Jim's presence.

"Sandburg."

Blair's head snapped up sharply. "Jim?" A crease formed in his brow. "What are you doing here, man? Everything okay?"

Ellison swallowed hard. He didn't quite know how to break the news to the kid. While nothing even remotely serious had ever developed between Cassie and Blair, Jim knew the young man would take her death hard -- especially considering the circumstances. Chapel had been the forensic chief's worst nightmare, and she had been required to muster all her courage just to help Jim and Blair on the case. To find out that her nightmare had been realized left Jim with a cold knot in his stomach. Sure, he'd found her annoying more often than not, but nobody deserved to die in such a brutal manner.

The crease in Blair's forehead grew more pronounced, and his eyes took on an expression of concern. "Jim? Hey, man, what is it?"  He maneuvered around the podium, coming to stand in front of Jim.

"I've got some bad news, Chief," Jim began, gesturing to one of the empty seats. "I think you should sit down."

The Sentinel heard the spike in Blair's heart rate, and the young man dropped quickly into the chair.

"Simon's okay, right? Naomi? Is--"

Jim sat down in the adjacent chair. "Easy, Sandburg. They're all right." He hadn't meant to frighten the kid... not that way, anyway. His expression must have been more severe than he realized. He took a deep breath, deciding to get it over with quickly. "It's Wells. She's dead."

For several seconds, Blair didn't respond... didn't even blink. Then the words began to register, and Jim watched the change in his friend's expression. "Dead?" His voice caught, and he swallowed. "When? How?"

Now for the really hard part, Jim thought, mentally bracing himself for whatever reaction would be forthcoming. "Chapel. He escaped."

Blair's face went white and he straightened. "Chapel?" He swallowed again. Hard. "He killed her?"

Jim nodded solemnly. "Sorry, Chief."

Blair took a deep, shaky breath and ran his hands over his face. "Oh man. How... How did she die?"

Jim clenched his jaw. "She was shot through the heart." He didn't think the kid needed to hear that she'd been tortured first.

Blair closed his eyes briefly. "God..."

Jim rose to his feet, frowning. He knew he should say something, but he found himself at a loss for words. He knew Chapel terrified Blair almost as much as he had Cassie. He still remembered the wild-eyed look in Sandburg's eyes when the kid had barreled into him in the hall of the psych ward, claiming that Chapel was hot on his heels.

"Come on, Chief," Jim said, his voice gentle. "As of right now, you're in protective custody."

Blair blinked. "Huh? Why? You.... You don't think --"

Jim raised his hands quickly. "It's just a precaution, Chief." He placed a reassuring hand on Blair's shoulder. "So, until he's caught, you don't go anywhere alone."

The full impact of Jim's statement registered with Blair, and his eyes widened. "What about classes?"

"Someone will come with you."

Blair nodded slowly, looking numb. Finally, he pushed himself to his feet and took a deep breath. "Okay."

Jim raised an eyebrow, surprised and somewhat concerned about Blair's easy acquiescence. Keeping his hand on Blair's shoulder, he guided the young man toward the door. "You okay, Chief?"

Absently, Blair nodded. "Yeah, fine man," he said, his voice flat but a little shaky.

"Don't worry, Chief. We'll find him," Jim reassured his partner.

Blair nodded again. "I just have to stop by my office and pick up some things."

"Okay, no problem," Jim replied.

Blair made the trip to his office quickly, grabbing a few stray folders, the daily mail, and his laptop, all of which fit in his backpack. Then he followed Jim outside.

"I'll follow behind you," Jim told the young man. "Do you need to stop off anywhere before heading home?"

Blair shook his head. "No."

Jim nodded curtly. "Good." He gave his friend one more pat on the shoulder, then ducked his head a fraction to get a better look at Blair's face. "You okay to drive?"

Blair nodded quickly. "Uh-huh."

Jim cocked his head, listening to his Guide's heart. It beat fast and steady. He nodded, satisfied, "All right. Let's go," he said, heading out toward Blair's Volvo.

Jim eyed his partner with concern as he headed into the kitchen. "You want a beer, Chief?"

Sandburg shook his head. "No thanks."

"I'm going to hit the shower. If anyone knocks..."

"I got it," Blair said, waving him away. "Believe me man, with Chapel on the lose, I'll be on my toes."

Jim nodded curtly. "Good." Then he turned on his heels and headed for the bathroom.

Blair opened his laptop, then sifted through his mail while he waited for it to boot up. A medium-sized bubble envelope caught his attention, and he frowned when he saw there was no return address. He wasn't expecting any packages delivered to the university. Quickly, he tore open the package and pulled out a video cassette. A small pink post-it was attached to the tape, scribbled with the words 'Here's a little something I thought you'd enjoy'.

Aha! Realization brightened his face. Bill finally got around to sending me the tape. He'd nagged the grad student for weeks, asking to borrow the tape Bill had made of the marriage ceremony during his trip to Bali. He couldn't wait to show it to his class.

He rose from the couch and popped the tape into the VCR. The picture flickered to life, and Blair gasped at the image on the screen, falling back onto the cushion. Cassie Wells sat strapped to a chair. She appeared unharmed, but her hair and make-up sat in disarray. Black mascara streaks lined her cheeks, and her eyes glistened with tears.

A deep, disembodied voice spoke, and Cassie looked up at someone behind the camera.

"Ms. Wells, care to say anything to your friends at the Cascade PD?"

She sniffled, shrinking in her chair. "What do you want, Chapel?"

A low chuckle. "It's simple. Revenge, my dear."

Blair sat in horror, silently commanding his body to move and turn off the VCR, but his hands refused to obey. He ordered his vocal chords to call out for Jim, but they remained stiff, uncooperative. He sat motionless, his eyes glued to the screen, his stomach churning with queasy anticipation. Please. Please don't let him kill her on camera.

The image cut abruptly, and Cassie still sat in the chair, but it was obvious that considerable time had passed. Her blouse hung torn around her waist, leaving her shivering in a bra. Blair didn't know if her trembling was due to fear or cold, but her wide eyes told him she was terrified. Bruises and cuts marred the right side of her face, and wet mascara snaked down her pale cheeks.

Chapel moved on screen, a huge hunting knife gripped in his right hand. Cassie squirmed in a futile attempt to move away from the man, but the bindings held her rigidly in place.

Oh God. Blair willed his eyes to close, but they remained stubbornly open.

"Oh God," Blair croaked.

"Oh God no!" Cassie pleaded, tears streaming down her face. "Please, don't--"

A single round spot of red erupted on the left side of her chest, and Blair flinched involuntarily. Cassie's eyes widened even more in momentary shock. She gasped once quickly, then slouched forward in the chair, motionless.

"I hope you liked the little preview," Chapel's voice mocked. "You're next on my list, Sandburg, then your partner. Take care, little man. I'll be seeing you soon."

The camera lingered on Cassie's limp form for several seconds, then the picture ended and the screen filled with white snow.

Jim frowned. "Sandburg, what are you doing?"

No response. His frown deepened, and he walked up to the young man, maneuvering around the couch to look his friend in the face. Blair's eyes were locked open, fixed unblinking on the T.V. screen. His face had lost most of its color, and if it weren't for the sound of the young man's shallow breathing and jack-hammer heartbeat, Jim would have thought the man a corpse.

Alarmed, he dropped to his knees in front of Blair. "Chief?" He placed a hand on Sandburg's shoulder, giving his friend a gentle shake. "Come on, buddy, look at me."

Blair gave no sign that he even heard the plea. Panic bloomed in Jim's chest, and he looked at the T.V. screen, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. Quickly, he pulled the remote out of Blair's hand, then hit the REWIND button. Seconds later, Cassie's bloodied image popped on screen, and events played backward in accelerated time.

Oh hell. Seconds later, he flicked the power off, and the screen died to black. He didn't need to watch the video just then. He had a pretty good idea what he'd see... What Blair had seen.

Turning his attention back to his catatonic partner, he dropped the remote on the table and moved to sit next to Blair.

"Okay, Chief, come on back now."

When he got no response, he gave the young man a light slap on the cheek. Blair jerked to life, flinching away from the Sentinel and releasing a strangled gasp as even more color drained from his face.

"Blair?" He placed both hands on the kid's shoulders, offering comfort with his touch. "It's okay, buddy. I'm right here."

Sandburg released a deep, shuddering sob and fell forward off the sofa, heading toward the coffee table.

"Blair!" Jim adjusted his grip to catch his partner, catching him as he fell.

Blair's fist latched onto Jim's arm, and the Sentinel lowered the young man to the floor. "Easy, Chief. Take it easy."

He listened to Blair's struggles, noting with rising alarm that his partner wasn't breathing. Blair's eyes were wide, his face panic-stricken, and his chest heaved as though trying to force air into his lungs.

His own chest tight, Jim grabbed Blair's shoulders and gave the young man a firm shake. "Come on, Blair, let it go. Let it go. Breathe, buddy, come on."

As if a switch had been thrown, Blair inhaled a deep, violent breath, gulping in air greedily. Jim breathed his own sigh of relief as he listened to the tortured sounds of Blair's breathing. He wrapped an arm around Sandburg's shoulders and pulled him closer. "That's it, Chief. Just take it easy. You're okay."

Several seconds passed before Blair was able to get his breathing under control. When he succeeded, he pushed himself away from Jim and slid onto the couch, leaning forward to bury his face in his hands.

"Oh God, Jim. Cass..." His voice failed him, and he shook his head in a gesture of denial.

Jim pushed himself to his feet and stood motionless in front of his distraught partner. He found himself at a loss for words... again. Sandburg had just watched a person he'd worked closely with murdered in a cold, brutal manner.

Hell, do something, Ellison, he berated himself. Slowly, he lowered himself to the couch and placed a hand on the young man's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Chief." It was a weak offering, but it was all he could think to say at the moment.

Blair raised his head and glanced at the detective, then quickly turned his gaze to the blank television screen. "He tortured her first," he said, his voice strained to a whisper.

Jim closed his eyes, tightening his grip on his partner. "You shouldn't have seen that."

"He's coming after us. You and me," Blair stated flatly.

"He won't get near you, Chief, don't worry."

Finally, Blair turned his head to look at Jim. "You're my bodyguard?"

Jim furrowed his brow and nodded. He'd thought that fact was obvious.

Blair swallowed. "Who's gonna protect you? He's after you too, Jim."

Jim clenched his jaw, his eyes fire. "I'm after him, Sandburg."

Major panic attack. Bet Jim's never had one of those.

A noise invaded his thoughts, the sound of someone turning the loft's front door knob. His heart leapt into his throat at about the same time Jim shot off the couch. Blair spun around in time to see a white envelope shoved beneath the door.

Jim withdrew his gun and crept toward the front door, his head cocked ever so slightly, a gesture Blair knew meant that the man was extending his sentinel hearing. Jim must have heard the would-be intruder retreat, because he threw a glance at Blair and said, "Stay here," before lunging forward and flinging the door open, disappearing into the hallway with surprising silence.

Stay here. Sure, Jim. No problem. Can't move, anyway. My feet seem to be glued to the floor here, and... Shit! Man, don't zone. What if he's out there? What if he gets the drop on you? God, I don't want to get a video tape of you, Jim. Oh man. Oh man. Oh man. What am I doing just standing here? I should call someone. That's the least I can do.

Footsteps shuffled in the hallway, heavy, and Blair kept his eyes glued to the half-open front door. "Jim?"

The door swung inward, and a large figure walked into the loft. Blair's heart rammed into overdrive, thundering wildly in his chest as he stared at the nightmare in front of him. Stringy blond hair framed a square, hard face, and thin lips parted to reveal crooked teeth.

Blair stood, frozen, flashing back to another time when he had found himself face-to-face with a nightmare in the loft. Lash. He'd fought for his life then, but Lash had still taken him, and now that nightmare was about to happen all over again.

"Hello, Sandburg. Miss me?"

Adrenaline took over, spurring Blair into action and bypassing conscious thought.

"Jim!" he yelled, flinging the colander of pasta at Chapel and sprinting for his bedroom.

He almost made it, but a sharp sting in the back of his right shoulder hit him just as he reached the doorway. He stumbled a few more feet, staggering toward the fire escape. His legs grew heavy, and greyness encroached at the edges of his vision. Gravity tugged at him, its strong grip pulling his body downward. His legs gave way, and he crumpled to the floor, falling into the inviting embrace of Darkness.

The Sentinel halted his pursuit and spun around, listening to his prey's footsteps retreat down the stairwell.

Sandburg! He pumped his legs hard, flying up the stairs to the third floor in record time. His eyes locked on the front door hanging partially opened, and his mind whirled as he ran toward the loft. Had he left the door open? He couldn't remember. Regardless, Sandburg had enough smarts to close the door after him.

Damnit! It was a diversion. How the hell could I have been so stupid?

He focused his hearing on the loft, and the drum of footsteps sounded in retreat toward the rear of the building. The fire escape. Bursting through the front door, his heart sank when he spotted the pasta spread out on the loft floor, the empty colander resting upside down next to the couch.

"Blair?" He knew it was useless, but he called out his partner's name anyway, a soft plea in the face of disaster.

Sprinting toward the lower bedroom, he saw the fire escape window hanging open. Wasting no time, he lunged forward, gun in hand and senses on full alert, and leapt onto the fire escape. It was empty. His eyes scanned the alley below, but saw no sign of his partner. His ears searched the perimeter, but sound gave no clue to Blair's whereabouts.

His chest tightened with heavy realization. I lost him. 

"Jim?" Simon Banks inquired softly from behind.

The Sentinel pulled his gaze away from the window and turned his head to look at the man.

"You okay?" Simon asked.

He turned his gaze back to the window. It was a stupid question. Rhetorical at best.

"You haven't seen the contents of the envelope yet?"

Jim shook his head.

"Three pictures. Two Polaroid's of Cassie. Not pretty." The Captain paused, fashioning a tense silence. After a few moments, the silence was broken. "There was some writing on the back of the first photo."

Jim tensed, bracing himself.

"'One down, two to go,'" Simon finished. "Um... The third photo was of Sandburg."

Jim's head whipped around, ice blue eyes locked on the dark face of his Captain.

"It was taken outside the Anthropology building at Rainier. Blair's walking outside. We don't know when it was taken, but probably recently. Maybe this week."

Jim turned his gaze back to the night city outside, his back straight and his shoulders rigid. Somewhere out there was his partner... Alive, most likely, but not for long. Time was running out, and he could swear he heard each tick of the clock as clearly as the beat of his own heart.

He realized his head was hanging forward, and that he was seated in a chair, his upper body held upright by a pressure around his chest. His arms were tied painfully behind his back, and his legs were secured to the legs of the chair.

Chapel!

Slowly, almost hesitantly, he raised his head. Colors exploded around him, masking the darkness, and he mentally braced himself, sure he was falling. Seconds passed, but the impact never came. The colors died to black, and the sickening sense of motion abated.

Oh man. His heart pounded fiercely, throwing itself against the cage of his chest like a frantic beast desperate for escape. Cassie! Oh God. Visions of her torture flashed through his mind. The knife carving into her skin. The blood. The screaming. The look of disbelief and pain in her eyes as Chapel slid the blade into her... Not far enough to kill. Never enough to kill until he put a bullet through her heart.

And now it's my turn. Oh God. He clenched his eyes shut, willing the nightmare away. Jim, man, please, you have GOT to find me. I'm right here. Don't know where 'here' is, but here I am, anyway. Anytime, man, because I know what's gonna happen and ohmanohmanohman, I don't want to die. Not like that. Not any way, but definitely not like that. And, oh please, God, please, not on tape. Not for Jim and Simon and everyone to see. I'm not gonna be strong. I'm not like Jim. I can't do this. Please, please, please, God, let him find me. Soon. Incacha, spirit guides, whatever, whoever, however, but I'm sending out a big SOS here, and I really, really, really need some help right now.

His rambling prayers came to an abrupt halt when the click of a dead bolt penetrated the silence, echoing through the darkness. His eyes shot open and his heart stopped for the briefest of moments. When a sliver of light expanded as the door opened, revealing a hulking figure, his gut twisted, and his heart nearly leapt into his throat.

"I see you're awake," Chapel's deep voice echoed.

Blair pulled his eyes away from the man, using the light to scan his surroundings. He was in the center of a large, bare room. A video camera sat on a tripod a few feet in front of him, and he stared at the cap covering the lens. His chest tightened. It's gonna start now. Oh hell, it's gonna start right now. He felt the sting of tears in his eyes, but he took a deep breath and pushed them back, forcing his chin higher in defiance of the fear. If his death was going to be videotaped, he'd go down with dignity. He would not let Jim and Simon down. He would not beg, he would not cry. He might scream. Okay, yes, he'd most definitely be screaming, but he would not let Chapel turn him into a quivering idiot. He would not plead with the man, nor beg for his life. He knew there was nothing he could say to change Chapel's mind, anyway. The man was insane. Beyond reason. Beyond hope.

But he's not gonna win, and I'm not gonna break. I'm NOT gonna break. Whatever happens, happens. But I'm not letting him break me. I won't give him that satisfaction. And I won't do that to Jim.

He swallowed hard.

Just remember Jim. Just look at the camera and remember Jim. Sitting on the other side, watching this. His face. I won't do that to him.

"Nothing to say?" Chapel asked, walking into the room. "I hope you don't mind the germs. I didn't have time to wipe the chair down for you," he said, referring to the germ-phobic Connover persona that Blair had adopted when he'd tried to get close to Chapel, "but germs are not something you need to be worrying about right now, anyway."

Blair took a deep breath, pouring every ounce of will he had into making his throat work. "Chapel." He narrowed his eyes, hoping he looked at least marginally courageous. In truth, he was having a hard time just controlling his bladder.

A sliver of a smile touched the larger man's lips. "You're gonna make this interesting, aren't you?" He moved over to the camera, twisting off the lens cap and flicking on the power. "Now look into the camera and say hello to Detective Ellison." He touched a button, and a red light sprang to life. Seconds later, the small spotlight on the top of the lens flared, and Blair squinted against the glare.

"Go on, say hello to your friends at Major Crimes," Chapel instructed, his voice casual.

Blair raised his head, looking directly at the camera lens. "Jim, sorry about the pasta, man. When you and Simon find this psychotic remedial, I hope he resists arrest. Big time. Not that I'm telling you to use excessive force, or anything, but, you know, if you have to, I won't object. Oh, yeah, and could you call the University for me and tell them I'll be out for a little while? Also, there's a -"

The red light flicked off suddenly. "Okay that's enough of that. Had your fun?" Chapel stepped away from the camera, moving toward Blair. "I hope so, because things aren't going to be fun for you much longer." He swooped down on Blair, and, in the blink of an eye, his hands wrapped around the young man's neck.

Blair flinched, trying to pull back, but the chair held him firmly in place. His lungs screamed, struggling to expel the air trapped inside and take in a replenishing supply. Black dots danced at the edges of his vision, and panic bloomed in his chest.

Suddenly, Chapel released him, and he would have sagged forward if not for the rope around his chest. He gasped, his throat like sandpaper, wheezing hard as he inhaled greedy gulps of air.

"Let's try this one more time, shall we?" Chapel moved back to the camera and hit the record button. "Now, did you have something to add, Mr. Sandburg?"

"Go to hell!" he croaked, panting fiercely.

Chapel sighed, moving in front of the camera and looking into the lens. "Oh well. Guess we'll have to do this the hard way."

He moved behind the chair, and Blair forced himself to remain still, resisting the temptation to turn his head to search for the man. He heard the rustle of cloth, and then a black fabric covered his eyes. Chapel tied it off in the back, giving it a tug to make sure it was tight. Then, something hard and cold pressed against his neck, cutting sharply into his skin enough to cause pain, but not hard enough to draw blood. A blade. He stiffened, fighting back the panic that threatened to explode from his throat.

"I try to do it a little differently each time," Chapel told him. "Since you already saw what I did to Cassie, I didn't think it fair to spoil your surprise by doing it the same way. Oh, don't worry, I've still got the old tools to use, but I've thought up some new games to play since finishing with Cassie."

Blair trembled at the cold, casual tone in Chapel's voice. Please... He swallowed. He'd almost said the word aloud, but caught himself in time. Remember Jim. Be strong for Jim.

"Really?" Blair asked, forcing his voice steady. "Have you tried chicken yet? I hear it works well if you play it with an oncoming train."

A hot streak of pain along the side of his neck caused him to gasp. Warm wetness slithered down his neck, and the blade left his skin, only to make contact again on the other side of his neck.

"I could slit your throat right now," Chapel said matter-of-factly, leaning over Blair's right shoulder.

The man was obviously very close to him, because Blair could feel his warm breath against his ear.

"Go ahead," he said. "That would kind of spoil the show though, wouldn't it?"

Chapel released a low chuckle and pulled back, withdrawing the knife. "Of course it would."

Blair heard the shuffle of feet indicating that Chapel had moved in front of him. Then the cold blade returned, held flat beneath his chin to push his head upward.

"Have you spoken with your higher power, Sandburg? Right now, I'd be praying if I were you."

"If you were me, you wouldn't be holding the knife right now."

A brief pause, then, "Good point."

"If you like, I'd be more than happy to trade places with you, man."

Chapel gave into another short laugh. "You have a gift for humor, Mr. Sandburg. I might just prolong your torture. Keep you around a bit longer."

A shiver of dread snaked down Blair's spine. Jim, man, I really hope you find me before this tape is delivered.

With a sigh, Jim rubbed his eyes. His normally sharp vision was blurred, fatigued from long hours of strain. His head pounded with a relentless headache. He'd gotten zero sleep the night before, spending most of it in his truck searching the city. Cascade, unfortunately, was a big city, host to many empty and isolated buildings that Chapel could use to hold Sandburg.

To torture him. Jim stopped breathing, closing his eyes against the image of Cassie's final seconds of life. She'd been found only thirty-six hours after her disappearance. That didn't mean that she'd lived for thirty-six hours after the abduction. The initial coroner's report indicated that she'd been dead for approximately five hours before being found. That narrowed the time window to about thirty hours.

A little over a day. The burning in his lungs reminded him to breath, and he sucked in a deep, shuddering breath, opening his eyes. He saw Captain Banks standing on the other side of the desk, his dark eyes pinched with concern.

"Jim, you need to get some sleep."

The Sentinel shook his head, rising from his seat. "There's no time for sleep, sir," he said, his voice harsher than he intended. "Sandburg's got less than twenty hours if Chapel sticks to the M.O. he used for Cassie."

"I know, Jim but --"

"And he's already been tortured," he croaked, a warm sting touching his eyes. He watched the shift in his Captain's expression, almost reveling in the stunned look on the larger man's face. When he spoke again, his voice was a hoarse whisper. "You know that, sir. You know what Chapel's most likely done to Sandburg already. You saw it on the tape. You really think I can sleep knowing that right now Sandburg is going through that?" His voice rose a notch. "Right now that son of a bitch has him somewhere, probably right here in Cascade, and I'm here, standing around, fiddling my goddamned thumbs while the rest of the force runs around like chickens with their heads cut off. We're all fucking useless!" He shouted the last remark, causing a sudden silence to descend upon the bullpen as his friends and fellow officers stopped their frantic work to look at him, their faces etched with a shared pain.

Simon stiffened, a mask of authority falling like a veil over his face. "In my office now, Ellison," he ordered quietly.

Jim stood still for several long seconds, his fists clenched at his sides. He forced himself to take several slow, deep breaths, struggling to calm the rage that burned in his chest and the waves of despair that rolled over him like a black ocean.

Finally, he nodded. "Yes, sir." He was just telling his legs to move when Rhonda rushed into the bullpen, a yellow bubbled envelope clutched in her right hand.

"Delivery for Ellison," she announced with a quivering voice, her eyes fluttering briefly over Jim, then falling to rest on Simon. "I think it's a video tape."

The silence in the bullpen became palpable. Jim's knees gave way, and he sank back into his chair. "Oh God."

A sharp pain sliced through his chest, piercing his heart. He wanted to scream in denial, but he couldn't move, couldn't even form a sound. It can't be, he pleaded silently to whatever deity was listening. It can't be. It's only been ten hours. Only ten fucking hours! I still have time. Goddamn you, Chapel! I still have twenty-one more hours! Twenty-one more hours to find him. So help me, God, Chapel, if you've killed him, if you've done that to him and put it all on tape, I swear to you, I'll find you. I'll stand on the fucking corner waiting for you. Come on, you coward. Come for ME.

"Jim?"

He looked up to see Simon standing over him, the envelope held in his left hand.

"I can view this on my own, Jim," he said gently. "There's no need for you to --"

Jim shook his head. "No, sir," he croaked out, his throat tight. "Thanks, but it's for me. I have to see it."

Simon nodded. "Okay. Come on then, Jim," he said gently.

Jim let himself be guided out of the chair, Simon's firm hand wrapped gently around his arm.

"Let's get this over with," Jim whispered, squaring his shoulders and walking stiffly to the Captain's office.

The room looked dark, but a bright light shone directly in Blair's face, making him wince. He peered apprehensively at the camera, and Jim extended his hearing, searching for the kid's heartbeat. He gritted his teeth when he couldn't find the precious rhythm. It had been a long shot, anyway - no way would the microphone have picked up such a faint sound.

"Go on, say hello to your friends at Major Crimes," Chapel's deep voice instructed.

Blair raised his head, looking directly at the camera lens, his pupils tightly constricted, enhancing the brilliance of his blue eyes. Jim held his breath, meeting the firm gaze of his friend, even though he knew he was looking only at a two-dimensional electromagnetic version of his partner. Still, peering into those familiar eyes, he half-believed that Blair was actually looking at him, perhaps trying to convey a message. Probably trying to tell me not to get all worked up.

When Blair spoke, Jim held his breath.

"Jim, sorry about the pasta, man. When you and Simon find this psychotic remedial, I hope he resists arrest. Big time. Not that I'm telling you to use excessive force, or anything, but, you know, if you have to, I won't object. Oh, yeah, and could you call the University for me and tell them I'll be out for a little while? Also, there's a -"

The image flickered briefly to black, then sprang to life again. Blair sat in the chair, breathing hard, his eyes wet with unshed tears and his face red. Jim clenched his jaw, gripping the sides of his chair harder, struggling to maintain control. His body pulsed with the urge for action, the drive to tear something -- anything -- apart, shred it to pieces, stomp it out of existence.

"Now, did you have something to add, Mr. Sandburg?" Chapel's disembodied voice asked.

"Go to hell!" Blair croaked, panting fiercely.

Chapel sighed, moving in front of the camera and looking into the lens. "Oh well. Guess we'll have to do this the hard way."

Jim focused on his breathing, his nebulous control slipping as he watched the knife slice a red path along Blair's neck. A faint ghost of pain tickled the side of his own neck, and he resisted the urge to rub the spot. Instead, he remained unmoving in the chair, his eyes glued to the screen.

As the minutes wore on, his body became more and more tense, his muscles rigid. Then Blair started screaming, breaking the fragile thread that held Jim to the chair.

Keeping one eye on the screen and the other on Jim helped Simon maintain his own facade of calm. So when Jim sprang out of his chair, growling with rage as he flew toward the television, Simon leapt into action. He caught the Sentinel by the arm, spinning him around and pinning him up against the wall, chest to chest with his friend.

"Ellison!"

Jim pushed back, but Simon's stance remained firm, his hands on the detective's shoulders.

"Stop it, Jim!" Blair's screams continued in the background, and Simon raised his voice to drown out the horrific sound. "You're wasting time. We need to get through this video, and if Sandburg's still alive, we need to find him." He gave the man a firm shake. "Now snap out of it and look for clues. Use those senses of yours, damnit, and see if you can figure out where that video was shot."

His words penetrated the inferno of rage surrounding Jim, and the Sentinel deflated, sagging against the wall. Simon kept his hands firmly planted on Jim's shoulders, keeping his friend upright. Suddenly, Blair's screams died, bathing the room in silence. Simon stiffened, but didn't dare turn to look at the screen. He closed his eyes briefly, giving a silent prayer. Please, God, don't let him be dead.

He took a deep breath and opened his eyes. "Come on, Jim," he said gently. "You can do this. Sandburg's counting on us."

Jim nodded, shifting his gaze to the television screen. The thick silence in the room broke with new sounds of torment, sending an icy shiver down Simon's spin, but he kept his attention fixed on the detective. An icy veil descended over Jim's eyes, masking the rage that had burned there moments before.

"Stop the tape," the Sentinel said, his voice low. "Let's take it from the beginning."

Time must have heard his thoughts, because it snapped ahead once again, depriving him of his meager peace -- no doubt retaliating for his blasphemy. The click of a lock sent him shivering uncontrollably, and he closed his eyes, hoping the next round of pain would be the last, either because Jim would find him, or Chapel would finally kill him. Of course, he preferred the first scenario, but the second wasn't looking too bad either at this point. At least the pain wasn't so bad anymore. In fact, most of his body felt numb. He couldn't feel his legs or his hands, but his right shoulder pulsed with pain where Chapel had burned him, and his right side throbbed with a steady, deep ache. The bleeding from the wound in his side had stopped, courtesy of a brief cauterization by Chapel.

He'd lost all feeling in his hands hours ago, the circulation cut off by the ropes. He'd been working the bindings around his wrists almost continuously, even when he'd felt the warm wetness of blood on his hands that told him he'd rubbed the skin raw. At least that didn't hurt. His wrists and hands felt puffy and numb, like he'd slept on his arms the wrong way and woken with no feeling.

The door opened, and light spilled into the room. Blair didn't bother raising his head, he didn't have the strength and he knew what he'd see, anyway. Instead, he closed his eyes, and focused on the one thought that had allowed him to maintain at least a modicum of dignity during Chapel's sessions.

Jim.

He kept the image of his friend in the forefront of his mind, reminding himself that Chapel was videotaping the sessions and that Jim would eventually see the whole thing. He had to be strong for Jim. Chapel could take away his freedom and his life, but he couldn't take away his dignity. That belonged to him, and he'd be damned if he'd give it away to his psycho captor.

Jim, I wonder what you're doing right now, what you're thinking. Please, please be okay. Don't blame yourself for this, man. It's not your fault, and I couldn't stand it if you blamed yourself. Just be okay, and I can handle anything on this end, Jim. Just be okay, man. Watch your back.

Please God, don't let him do anything stupid. Just please, if he doesn't find me in time, if this psycho kills me, please don't let him get Jim, too. That's all I ask right now. He needs to sleep and eat, because if he doesn't, he'll end up zoning, and Chapel will get the drop on him, and, man, oh man, I can't stand the thought of him in this chair, going through what I'm going through.

"How are you feeling, Sandburg?" Chapel mocked as he walked up to Blair. "Think you can handle another round?"

Blair didn't have the strength or inclination to answer.

"Well, I guess we'll find out soon enough," Chapel continued. "You know, this really is unfortunate. What I do, why I kill... It's to rid society of the bad apples, to get rid of the men the law doesn't. In a way, I'm on the same side as you and your partner. It's just a shame you crossed the fence, kid. You and your partner came after me. You lied to me. Now I have to get rid of you, too."

Slowly, Blair lifted his head, though it felt about as heavy as a block of cement. "Get a clue, man. You're one of the bad apples."

A stinging slap whipped his head to the side, sending him into blessed oblivion.

On the screen, Chapel moved behind Blair, pulling off the blindfold. Blair opened his eyes tentatively, then flinched from the spotlight and clenched his eyes shut.

Chapel's cold blue eyes stared at the camera, and a small smile touched his face. "Ellison, have you looked into the face of a man who knows he's about to die? Have you stared into his eyes as you've slid the blade into his flesh? The eyes always go wide, disbelieving, as the knife moves into him." He brought the knife around from behind, sliding the blade down in front of Blair toward his stomach. "Of course, you know that's not my M.O., don't you? One shot through the heart. That's what does it, but, still, if I'm very careful, I can place the blade just right so that it doesn't kill, doesn't puncture anything vital. It's quite an experience for the victim, I'm sure."

No don't. Chapel, goddamn you, I swear...

Jim stiffened as Chapel moved the blade into position. Blair remained conscious, but his head hung forward, limp. With one hand, Chapel lifted Blair's head, showing his face to the camera, then, slowly, he pushed the blade into Blair's ribcage.

On the first penetration, Blair's eyes shot open, and a low moan escaped his throat. He struggled in the bonds, gasping as his motion caused the blade to cut into him further. Suddenly, he went rigid, and, inch-by-inch, the blade moved into him and he arched his head back, his mouth open and his eyes wide with disbelief, agony written in the lines of his face. He made no more sounds, as if he knew that even the motion of screaming would increase the pain brought by the blade.

Fuck you, Chapel, you're a dead man, a fucking corpse, Jim vowed.

Blair knew he was close to the end. Cold and pain no longer bothered him. He'd been kept in the dark for so long, except when Chapel had the camera running, that light hurt his eyes, and he'd found himself flinching from the harsh spotlight of the camera.

Jim's not gonna make it in time.

He clamped down on the thought as soon as it surfaced, and guilt flared in his chest. It's not his fault. He's trying. I know he's trying. He's just gonna be too late.

He closed his eyes, almost giving into the well of emotion that threatened to spill out of his control. He wouldn't cry. He wouldn't break, he'd promised himself that long ago. He'd promised Jim. It was a promise he had to keep. He'd forgotten why, but he knew it was important.

He continued to move his wrists, or at least he thought he did. He couldn't feel his arms, so he didn't know for sure. He just kept telling his wrists to move, hoping he would find a way out of the ropes.

He didn't realize the exact moment he'd broken free until the maddening prickling started, like pins of fire drumming into his hands. His heart thudded in disbelief, pounding furiously in his chest and sending a rush of blood to his head. Dizziness washed over him, but he fought it back.

The click of the door caused him to jump. No! No not yet! I'm almost free, damn you.

The door opened and Blair quickly brought his hands behind his back. He still couldn't feel his arms, except for the horrible pinpricks, more intense than anything he'd ever felt before. He gritted his teeth against the intense sensation and hoped that he'd wrapped the ropes marginally around his wrists. Maybe, just maybe, he could fool Chapel long enough to take the man by surprise.

"One more round, Sandburg?" Chapel asked.

He walked into the room, the knife clutched in his right hand. As he passed the video camera, he flicked on the record button, and the spotlight flared to life. Blair's eyes snapped shut, and he turned away from the harsh glare.

Seconds later, he felt Chapel in front of him, the man's warm breath on his face. "When I'm through with you, Ellison's next," he whispered. "You know that, don't you?"

Blair swallowed, anger bursting in his chest, but he kept a reign on his emotions. He doubted he had the strength to act on them, anyway.

"How's the wound?"

Chapel pressed the blade against Blair's side, digging into the old wound he'd caused some time before. Hours? Days? Blair wasn't sure. He had no way of knowing how long he'd been held in this particular hell.

Now or never, one way or the other. Blair saw his chance, and he took it. He couldn't see the knife, but he could feel the cold metal against his skin. He only hoped that he had enough control of his hands to make use of the instrument. He was ready to kill, without doubt and without hesitation. Part of him mourned that new development in his psyche, and he wondered what Naomi would think of her son if she knew he'd crossed that line.

But I can't let him get to Jim.

No. He'd risk his own soul, his own sanity, but he'd never risk Jim's life. His arms lashed out, his fingers wrapping around the blade of the knife and snatching it out of Chapel's hand, pain slicing through his own palm. He wasn't sure what happened next, but he heard Chapel jump back, utter a brief, strangled yell, then topple to the ground. Blair shifted the knife, cutting at the rope around his chest. His palms were wet, making his grip slippery, but from blood or sweat he didn't know.

Move it! Just move it!

He had nothing but faith to go on that Chapel was out of the way. The room was silent, and he opened his eyes, but the camera's spotlight sent bolts of pain into his skull, forcing him to clench his eyes shut again. Blindly, he continued to cut at the rope, ignoring the pain in his palm.

Some time later, he was free, and he fell out of the chair, landing on the cold floor with a hard thud, the knife clattering out of his hand. He lay there for several seconds, panting hard, fighting against the exhaustion that threatened to claim him. Come on! Get up! He slid his arms up, making a pathetic attempt to push himself off the ground, but he barely managed to move an inch.

No, no, no. He couldn't believe this! He was so close. Was Chapel dead? Hurt? Unconscious? Would he wake up? How long?

He bent his knees, then pushed himself forward with his feet. Slowly, he crawled along the floor toward what he hoped was the door. He risked another brief glimpse, catching sight of the bright light, then squeezed his eyelids shut and moved toward the source.

It seemed like hours had passed by the time he felt the gentle breeze against his face, and he almost cried when he realized he'd made it outside. Still, he refused to give into the well of emotion. He'd made it so far, he wouldn't give in yet. If he let the emotion surface, it would take him over, and he'd wind up curled in a ball on the street, sobbing uncontrollably.

So he continued to move, slithering along the street like a lizard, his stomach scraping against the gritty pavement. He had no other way to find help, so he opened his eyes a fraction. When he realized that it was night, he risked a larger look, and his eyelids lifted halfway to peer at the world around him.

The structures before him looked blurry, and he blinked several times to clear his vision, but the attempt failed. The streetlights bled harsh, yellow light, and he avoided looking directly at them. He could barely make out his surroundings, but he saw a bright, painful blue glow several feet ahead, and his heart nearly leapt into his throat.

Thank you, God. Please let that be a phone.

The bullpen was quiet, its few occupants weary from days of relentless work. Rafe, Brown, Jim, Simon, Megan, and Taggart comprised the dedicated team searching for Sandburg, but only half of the team filled the room at such a late hour. Taggart, Megan, and Rafe had gone home a few hours ago, ordered by Captain Banks to get some rest so they could start the next day with a fresh head.

Jim sat hunched in his chair, his head on his desk. Thirty-six hours. The "deadline" had passed, and with it, the hope that Sandburg was still alive. Still, Jim couldn't let himself believe that his friend was dead. Just because Chapel had given Cassie less than thirty-six hours, didn't mean he'd do the same for Sandburg. He'd already deviated from his M.O. with Cassie by sending the video tape before killing Sandburg. For that, Jim was grateful. He'd nearly broken down when the tape had ended without a bullet being put through Sandburg's chest. Instead, the kid had been bloody, beaten, and unconscious... But, Dear God, alive.

His phone rang, and the harsh shrill pierced his eardrums like an explosion. He straightened and snatched up the receiver, shaking his head against the ringing that echoed in his skull.

"Ellison," he croaked into the receiver, his voice rough with exhaustion.

Silence filled the line, and he gritted his teeth in frustration. "Hello? Who is this?"

The ringing in his ears died down, allowing him to hear the ragged breathing over the connection. "Jim?" The voice was faint, hoarse and scratchy, but still recognizable.

Jim's heart somersaulted in his chest. "Blair?"

Every head in the bullpen snapped up to look at the detective.

"Blair is that you?" Jim persisted.

"H-Help," came the soft reply.

"Where are you, Chief?" He looked up at Brown and gestured wildly toward the other man's phone.

The detective nodded, snatching up his phone and calling in the trace.

"Blair, come on, buddy, answer me. Where are you?"

"Don't know."

Jim shot out of his chair in frustration. "Look around, Chief, tell me what you see."

Seconds passed, and he got no answer.

"Blair."

Silence. He began to panic, stretching his hearing. The raspy sound of breathing reached his ears, and then the faint heartbeat that he knew belonged to his Guide.

"Sandburg, talk to me!"

His plea fell flat, and the line remained quiet.

"Got it, Jim! Third and Trancas. It's from a phone booth."

The bullpen erupted in a flurry of activity and Jim bolted out of the bullpen. As he slid into the hall, he jabbed a finger at Brown and barked, "Stay on the line with him!" Then he disappeared into the stairwell, unwilling to wait for the elevator.

Blair sat huddled in the phone booth, hovering at the edge of consciousness. The phone hung next to his shoulder, dangling by the cord. He thought he heard a voice calling to him, but he wasn't sure if it was real or a dream.

The quiet of the night was disrupted by the brief sound of a crash. Blair jerked to consciousness and saw a blurry figure stagger out of the warehouse yards ahead.

Chapel! Although he couldn't see well enough to make out the man's identity, he knew it had to be Chapel. Fortunately, the man seemed to be stumbling away from him.

Got to move! Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the phone booth door, gritting his teeth against the pain in his shoulder and side. Streaks of blood marred the glass where his palm had made contact, but he barely registered the fact. Instead, he resumed his slithering motion toward the nearby alley. Hide. Jim's coming. Just a little bit longer.

He moved at a snail's pace, but finally huddled up against a dumpster in the alley, fighting the tug of sleep. Somehow, he had to find cover, but the alley was bare. Tilting his head back, he peered up at the top of the open dumpster. It might as well have been a twenty story building with the amount of strength he had left. He doubted he'd be able to pull himself into the large trash bin.

Angry yelling reached his ears, spurring him into action. He's coming! No. No. No. Hurry, Jim. Please hurry. Reaching up, he grabbed the rim of the trash can, gritting his teeth as he pulled himself up. A stifled scream escaped his control as a bolt of agony shot through his midsection, and his vision greyed...

He opened his eyes to darkness, and a thick stench assaulted his nostrils. Huh? How? He had somehow gotten himself into the dumpster, but he had no memory of how he'd accomplished that immense feat.

Jim, please, please, hurry, man. The darkness hovered around him, but he knew he had to stay awake. He had to wait for Jim.

Footsteps crunched in the alley, closing in on the dumpster. Then a deep voice sent his heart into overdrive.

"I know you're here, Sandburg," Chapel growled. "I followed your blood trail."

Something hit the side of the dumpster, and Blair bit his lower lip against the scream that threatened to erupt. He curled himself into a tight, painful ball, burrowing into the trash in an attempt to conceal himself. The refuse threatened to smother him, but he forced himself still. He heard a metallic clang, and clenched his eyes shut. Jim, come on, come on, please, Jim hurry.

Sirens blared in the distance, and another harsh clang shook the trash bin, followed by hurried footsteps.

"Jim," Blair whispered, his voice rough and sore from his hours-days of screaming. He'll find me. If I whisper, he'll hear.

The blue and white Ford truck screeched to a halt in front of the phone booth, followed by half a dozen squad cars, their red lights pulsing frantically. Jim leapt out of his truck, senses on full alert. He immediately spotted the blood on the glass of the phone booth, as well as the dangling phone, and his heart skipped a beat, wondering if he was too late. Had Chapel found Blair? Killed him?

Turning in a slow circle, he scanned the empty street and sidewalk, his head tilted as he listened for his partner. A weak, muffled voice floated to his ears, and a wave of relief crashed over him.

"Jim. Jim. Jim."

The Sentinel took off in the direction of Blair's voice, and the litany continued, growing weaker with each passing second.

"Blair!" He slid into the alley, following the blood trail and the voice to the dumpster.

"Jim! Where is he?" Simon asked, skidding to a halt behind the detective.

Jim peered into the open trash bin, but he saw no sign of his partner. To his dismay, he realized Blair had grown silent, and he stretched his hearing as he pulled himself over the rim of the container and dropped into the trash. Rough breathing reached his ears, and he bent over, digging through the pile of trash like a madman intent on finding promised treasure.

His hand contacted a mass of curls, and his motions became more hurried. Quickly, he pushed aside the trash covering his partner, and, for a moment, froze as he took in the full extent of his partner's condition.

"Dear God," Simon whispered.

"Sir?" Someone inquired from outside the bin.

"Get an ambulance here!" The Captain bellowed.

"Already  done, sir. It's on its way," the officer informed the Captain.

Jim knelt beside his partner, his fingers gently brushing knotted strands of hair away from Blair's face. The young man looked barely alive, pale as corpse. His face, chest, torso, and back were covered with cuts and bruises, as well as blood, both old and fresh. The old blood was dried and caked on in obvious layers over Blair's arms, chest, and back.

"Come on, Jim, let's get him out of there," Simon said.

Jim kept his eyes fixed on his partner. He knew he had to get Blair out of the trash bin, but he feared moving him. The young man looked so fragile, as though the smallest stress would break his tenuous grip to life. He knew that the paramedics would never be able to get a makeshift stretcher into the cramped compartment of the trash bin, so the only alternative was to physically carry Sandburg out, which could possibly aggravate his partner's injuries.

"Chief." Carefully, he placed a hand on the young man's arm, fairly certain he'd chosen a spot that wouldn't hurt. "I'm going to lift you now, but I'll be as easy as I can." He was pretty sure that Blair was completely oblivious, but he felt the need to reassure his young partner nevertheless.

As gently as he could, he slid his arms under Blair's shoulders, then lifted the man into a sitting position. "Okay, buddy, let's go," he mumbled, grunting as he scooped his friend into his arms.

Blair jerked to consciousness, his arms flailing. "No," he muttered, the word barely audible, but heavy with fear.

"Easy, Blair. Easy," Jim soothed, shifting his weight to keep his weak, squirming partner in his arms.

Simon reached in, carefully grabbing Blair's shoulders.

"Easy with him!" A sharp female voice barked, and Jim looked up to see a woman in a blue jacket running up to them. She carried an orange tool box in one hand, and waved her partner into the alley with her other hand.

"We are," Jim ground out, reluctantly relinquishing his hold on Blair so Simon could hoist him out of the trash bin.

"No. No. No," Blair continued to protest softly, but his eyes remained closed, and his struggles had died to nothing.

Jim hopped out of the garbage can just as Simon and the two paramedics lowered Blair to the ground. Immediately, he crouched next to his partner, knowing he was crowding the paramedics' space but needing to stay close.

"Chapel?" Jim asked, throwing a glance at his Captain.

"No sign of him yet, Jim," Simon reported.

A clench of the jaw was Jim's only reply as he turned his attention back to his partner.

The woman snatched a penlight out of her pocket and lifted one of Blair's eyelids, quickly shining the beam into his eye to check his pupils. Sandburg's reaction was instantaneous. A low, hoarse scream erupted from his throat and he flung his hands up over his face, clenching his eyes shut and turning his head away from the offending source.

Jim's hand snapped out, yanking the penlight out of the woman's hands. "Take it easy, lady," he snapped.

The woman's eyes flashed with anger, and she snatched the penlight back. She opened her mouth to speak, then clamped her mouth shut and took a deep breath, turning her gaze back to Blair.

"I know this is hard for you to watch, sir," she said softly, "but please stay out of our way and let us work on him."

"Come on, Jim." Simon grabbed Jim's arm and pulled him to his feet, giving the two paramedics their space.

Jim watched the woman work on Blair, telling himself that she was only trying to help -- only doing her job. "Sorry," Jim mumbled.

She nodded, not bothering to look up as she and her partner continued their examination of the young man.

Jim clenched his fists, glancing in the room as the doctor and a nurse continued their examination of the young man. Blair was still unconscious, wrapped in bandages almost from head to toe, with tubes jutting into and out of his body, providing him food, water, and oxygen.

The warehouse room had been gruesome, with streaks of blood marring the floor, relatively fresh. Forensics had matched it to Chapel's blood. Other blood had been found on the chair bolted to the floor, the discarded ropes, and the floor, and that had been matched as Sandburg's. A discarded knife, a video camera complete with tape, and other gruesome tools had been found in the warehouse.

Jim had yet to watch this second tape. He just didn't have the stomach for it at the moment. Besides, he needed to stay close to Blair. Chapel was on the loose again, and this time Jim vowed that the man would not get anywhere near Sandburg. Nothing would pull him from the young man's side. Nothing. Not Simon, not the commissioner, not even a nuclear war. Blair wasn't getting out of his sight. Period. The doctors had protested his hanging just outside the operating room, but he'd adamantly asserted his role as a police guard and required that he be stationed just outside the room where he could keep an eye on the surgery through the window.

Simon, fortunately, had understood, giving him the "official" on-duty guard role. However, Jim had caught Rafe, Brown, and Megan hovering around on occasion, attempting to be inconspicuous, or outright approaching him to inquire about Sandburg. He suspected the Captain had assigned them as his guards, each of them alternating shifts. Such was really the only way any of them would have been allowed unimpeded access to the restricted surgical area rather than being forced to stay in the waiting room.

The door to Blair's room opened, and the doctor and nurse stepped out. Doctor Baker, a middle-aged man with dark hair and graying temples released a tired sigh as he walked up to him, and Jim straightened, preparing himself for the man's report.

"He came through the surgery well, and he's resting now. I don't expect him to wake up for several hours, and, when he does, he's going to be in pain. Right now, we've got him on mild pain killers because of the anesthesia. As soon as he wakes up, we'll put him on a morphine drip, but I suspect that, even maxed out, he'll be in considerable pain." The doctor sighed, rubbing a hand over red-rimmed eyes. "Unfortunately, he's been put through the ringer, as you know. Several bone fractures, including his ribs. A severe stab wound that was barbarically cauterized, along with another burn on his shoulder. His other shoulder was dislocated. He's got an impressive assortment of cuts and bruises all over his body. He's going to take a while to heal. He also demonstrated some light sensitivity when initially brought here, while conscious. We've examined his eyes, and they appear undamaged. His vision should be fine once he wakes up, though he'll probably take some time to get used to the light. He was kept in the dark for a while, right?"

Jim nodded. "With some exceptions. The guy had him in a dark room, near as we can tell, but then shone a spotlight on him during the sessions. He kept his eyes closed most of those times, though... At least when he wasn't blindfolded."

The doctor pursed his lips, his gaze drifting as he appeared to ponder that information. "Hmmmn. Well, I've called a psych consult. As soon as Mr. Sandburg is semi-coherent, he'll be examined by a psychiatrist. Anyway, you can go into the ICU room now, but don't try to wake him, and don't touch anything."

Jim nodded. "Of course." He pushed past the doctor, eager to be close to Sandburg.

Once inside, he eased the door closed, though he was sure that even an explosion wouldn't wake the motionless, pale figure on the bed. The unfortunately familiar sound of the heart monitor beeped in cadence to the steady swoosh of the respirator, and Jim took a moment to scan his partner with his senses before approaching the chair next to the bed. Blair's heart beat slow and steady, and his lungs expanded and contracted from air supplied by the respirator.

Rubbing one hand over his short cropped hair, he sighed and dropped into the seat, closing his eyes and leaning against the chair's back. Close. Too damn close. Again. How many times is he going to have to go through this shit? And what about this time? What's he going to be like when he wakes up?

The muscles in Jim's shoulders tightened, sending a cramp up his neck. Blair had been through so much over the past three and a half years. Too much. Each time, his eyes lost a bit of their sparkle, and his bounce became a little less lively. After Lash, the kid had bounced back with impressive speed, but then there was the Golden, then Roy, then Alex. Oh God. That was the one that had done it, he was pretty sure. Their relationship had been patched back up, but something inside Blair had never quite healed. He didn't smile as much anymore. He definitely didn't talk as much. He mumbled a lot, his earlier youthful enthusiasm gone.

And now this. How much can one person take? Something has to give, damnit, sometime, somehow, it's gonna give, and then he'll be gone for good. Not just gone. Broken. Maybe he already is. Maybe some things just can't be fixed.

A lump rose in his throat, and he swallowed, pushing it back down. Slowly, he reached out one arm and wrapped his fingers around Blair's hand, one of the few areas on the young man that wasn't seriously injured, although both wrists were well-bandaged, the skin underneath raw from the ropes.

"Wake up soon, Chief," he urged softly, leaning forward and resting his other arm on the bedrail. "It's all over. You're safe. You can come back now."

Part II