Disclaimer: The characters we all know and love, namely Jim Ellison, Blair Sandburg, and Simon Banks, are NOT mine. (boo hooo) I'm just borrowing them for awhile and I'll return them when I'm done. (You'll have to restrain and/or sedate me, but you can have them back. Someone else will want them...)

Notes: Okay. Got the mail last week and it was good but depressing news from my Ex. (NO, he's not being audited, damn it.) He's removing my name from his important documents so he can make way for the girlfriend. (Well, he can't remove his daughter's name - so the *B* only gets HALF! hahahahaha...) [Sorry.] And it got me thinking about Jim and Blair...

SO! This isn't a death story, just keep a couple hankies handy... As usual, send all feedback, good-bad-ugly to wnnepooh@erols.com I'll answer it when I can. Got your kleenex? Off we go...

Ducks in a Row...

by Wnnepooh

He sat there, staring at the papers on the table and in his hands. Such a mess of stuff. *Enough paper here to write a book. Not a lot of substance to it...* he thought. For all that those papers reflected the real James Joseph Ellison, you could just as easily read his junk mail. Jim's gaze fell on the little metal box, then it's label. "LifeBox." Well, maybe other people kept their lives in boxes. But Jim just kept the legal stuff.

He stared once more at the papers littered around. His insurance policies, loft papers, mortgage - hopefully to be burned in the next year, a marriage certificate - stapled, ironically, to his divorce decree, even the truck title...all the little pieces of the framework of his life. Jim stared at his hands, the two newest additions to the box, the actual reason he'd gotten into the box in the first place.

His left hand held up the sheets of pink paper. "Dear Jim, blah blah blah getting married blah blah blah hope you can be happy blah blah and double blah Love, Caroline." Well, he was happy in a way. It forced him to take stock of his life and that had lead to some great realizations. The evidence of his new reality was in his right hand, eyes already searching for that phrase. A crinkle of a smile reached his eyes as he found the words "of sound mind and body."

"Yeah, right."

*If I'm really of sound mind, how the hell did I end up...* He couldn't finish the thought without shaking his head and laughing more. Truth was, he didn't care how he'd ended up with his roommate. He just knew he couldn't do without him.

Caroline's letter had hit home. It was a nice let down. Sort of a "I've moved on and I don't want to be responsible for cleaning out that loft of yours should anything happen to you."

Well, what if something DID happen to him? Who was close enough to him to take care of his things? Who would be there when they closed the casket? Who would be there by the hospital bed until the end? Who would be hurt most if - if he died?

One name. One person of extraordinary character. A companion, a roommate, a friend, a brother, a son... a Guide. Blair. Blair Sandburg.

Jim took a deep breath and read the rest of the legal-size paper. "...do hereby bequeath all my worldly goods to..." The lawyer hadn't even flinched when he'd provided the name. In fact, Tony, one of the guys from CPD's legal department, said it wasn't uncommon for partners to do that kinda stuff. It was all part of the bond they shared.

Well, Jim and Blair shared a bond - a thick one. He hadn't realized how thick until he had examined those papers. All of a sudden, Jim had a whole new set of questions. What would happen to Blair? Where would the kid go, what would become of his research?

So Jim had changed a couple more documents. To provide things. A couple things Blair would need - a home. Their home. *That sounds so...mushy.* he thought. But still. It was THEIR home, but it was in Ellison's name. It would stay that way unless something happened to him, then it would be Blair's. Hopefully nothing would happen until AFTER the mortgage was met next year. But if it did, the life insurance would pay it off and the title would go to his buddy.

*A place you can call home, kid.*

And the rest of the life insurance? Well, it would go to provide for Blair's research and education. Jim knew exactly what his friend had given up in order to be there for him. He'd had several long talks with the Dean of Students as well as the head of the School of Anthropology. Both were very understanding of Blair's position with the CPD. And it helped to have a couple commendations from the Mayor on the kid's side as well. Well, it wasn't enough for a building, but it would at least pay for the Ph.D., and something for the future.

*You can even finish that book, just make sure you get Bruce Willis to play me in the movie, Chief.*

He heard the telltale chug of Blair's Volvo as it came around the corner and parked out front. Even that part of his friend's life was taken care of. Not that the kid would ever give up that classic of his, but at least he'd have a choice.

Jim looked over the papers once more, then folded things up and placed them back in the little box. Again, his eyes fixed on the label. Well, maybe that "LifeBox" had just gotten some new life...

He heard the footsteps, took the box upstairs quickly and placed it back under the bed. Jim was downstairs with two open beers when the kid walked through the door.

"Oh, hey Jim." He said and tossed his keys onto the little table. Blair took a look at his friend, noting the sadness receeding from the man's eyes. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, Chief." The detective said with a smile. "Everythings in order, just the way it should be."

~~~~~ Finis ~~~~~

Sniffle sniffle...I'm sorry, I promised myself I wouldn't do this... If you'll excuse me, I'll just grab a hankie and seclude myself...