by wnnepooh
Jim heard the strumming guitar from street level. Evidently the warm afternoon had gotten Sandburg out on the balcony to practice. A small smile lit the detective's face. Another time, long ago, and the balcony - let alone the loft - would be the last place you'd hear the light strumming of an acoustic guitar.
At least a live one.
*But that was a different Jim Ellison,* he thought. *A VERY different Jim Ellison...*
As he hurried up the steps, his hearing picked up the end of a line, some mumbled words and a soft sigh. The combination stilled the large man at the top of the steps. Stretching his hearing out just a tad more, he heard the strong beating of Blair's heart and sighed himself. *Nothing wrong with him physically...*
That's when the music began again, the random chords heard a moment or so before were actually arranged into a semblance of a tune. And a soft voice was singing. *Probably for some chick in the music department...* But as he listened more closely, the words seemed to draw him in, take him nearer to the source.
As quietly as possible, Jim opened the loft door and headed in. The singing continued, pulling the man towards the balcony and the fresh breezes that carried the tune over the city. Just as he reached the doorway, hanging back a bit so he didn't startle his room mate, Jim heard Blair start the song over again.
As he stood there, the words drew pictures from his memories, somehow giving him the chance to step back and see through another's eyes...
~When the rain is blowing in your face,
And the whole world is on your case,
I would offer you a warm embrace,
To make you feel my love~
~When evenin' shadows and the stars appear,
and there is no one to dry your tears,
I would hold you for a million years,
to make you feel my love~
~I know you haven't made your mind up yet,
but I would never do you wrong,
I've known it from the moment that we met,
No doubt in my mind where you belong~
~I'd go hungry, I'd go black and blue
I'd go crawlin' down the avenue,
There ain't nothing that I would not do~
to make you feel my love,
~The storms are raging on the rollin' sea,
And on the highway of regret,
The winds of change are blowin wild and free,
and you ain't see nothin' like me yet~
~There ain't nothin' that I wouldn't do,
go to the ends of this earth for you,
To make you happy, make your dreams come true,
to make you feel my love~
~There's nothin' that I would not do,
to make you feel my love~
The song at an end, Blair settled his feet on the balcony deck, leaning forward in the chair with his elbows on his knees. The pictures in his mind had become so thick he couldn't focus on the chords or words anymore. Four years had given him a large reference file of emotional imprints - feelings and moments trapped together that could never be separated.
Or forgotten...
Jim sighed heavily, trying to clear his mind. He was suddenly aware of the silence, and the nervous chuckle of his partner. Wetting his lips, he stepped into the doorway and smiled. "That was - uh - nice, Chief. I don't think I've heard you play that before..."
Seeing the slight smile on Jim's face, Blair set the guitar back in its case and headed inside, towards his room. "I just learned it today..." he replied from just inside his bedroom doorway. I was flippin' stations in the Volvo and heard the last part of the song. It sounded like something I could learn easy."
Ellison smiled and walked towards the frige. "Another facet of the Sandburg Female Attraction Package?"
"Nah." Blair said with a smile. "It just seemed to call to me. The words grabbed me, made me think..." Standing on the opposite edge of the cooking island, Blair fidgetted with the countertop, avoiding direct eye contact. Taking a deep breath, he looked up briefly, then turned his eyes towards the balcony. "When I got home, I - uh - popped on the 'net and found a site with words and chords... It was pretty easy. You just seem to get caught up in it, and it takes you along..."
*Yeah. I'm familiar with the feeling...* Jim thought, then looked down at the countertop, a soft chuckle rumbling in his chest. He looked up to find his friend still staring out the windows. "You know, Sandburg ~"
Blair turned to face him briefly, taking the bottle of beer Jim had finally managed to open. "Yeah, Jim?"
What could he say? He liked having Blair around. Regardless of the pains of the past four years, Jim Ellison wouldn't have traded a minute (well, maybe a couple select hours) if it meant losing his best friend. It just wasn't gonna happen. Not then, not ever - if HE had anything to say about it.
Realizing he was just standing there, the older man smiled and held his bottle out towards his friend, who met it with his own, the glass bottles clinking disodently. "I think I'd like to hear that song again."
"Really?" Blair said with some quiet shock.
Nodding his head, Jim headed for the balcony. "Yeah. I think - I think I could handle it ..."
With more truth than he meant to show, Blair replied, "If that's what you want. I'm not arguing."
As Blair disappeared into the room, Jim took up a place on the balcony, overseeing his city. Seconds later, the younger man was back, guitar across his lap.
Without another word, Jim took up a seat on the balcony wall and let the music and memories go out on the breeze...