Disclaimer: The characters we all know and love aren't mine. I'm just borrowing them and I'll return them - dry - when I'm done with them. (Boo hoo hoo.)

Notes: You asked, nay demanded, dear Elves. My Mooses aim to please and n'er turn from a challenge. Feedback - good, bad, or ugly - always welcome: wnnepooh@erols.com

This is in answer to the "Elfin" challenge for missing scenes. This picks up right after the arrest at the end of "Spare Parts" and just before - what I have named - the "bedroom scene" at the end. Doesn't that just send shivers up your spine - Naomi and Jim in bed together? Hope you enjoy it. - et

TO BLAIR'S SURPRISE...

by Wnnepooh

Missing scene - Spare Parts.

*...* indicate unspoken thoughts.

"I insist." Jim said, taking her bag from her. "You can't just leave without seeing him."

Naomi looked up into the man's face, the pleading in those blue eyes just made her heart melt. "But you don't need me here..."

He smiled at that comment. In Naomi-speak, that translated roughly to "You, James Ellison, don't want me here." After the past week with his partner's pouting, Jim was willing to do anything to get the kid to smile again. With all the cloak and dagger work on the Petrie-car theft case, Blair had spent no real quality time with the woman. And some of the time they HAD spent was tense. The visit hadn't gone all that well, and Jim actually felt some guilt at keeping mother and son apart. Especially after getting Naomi involved in the case. They'd wrapped the case a mere two hours before Naomi's ride had arrived to whisk her away to her retreat, leaving the family with zero time together.

The week had been involved with the case's paperwork, as well as that of other cases. Blair had been moody through it all.

Nothing had appeased the kid. Not even leaving the livingroom the way the woman had arranged it. The detective had just about given in to the urge to buy his partner a plane ticket to East Jabip, when the phone call had come that afternoon. In order to ease her mind, Naomi had made arrangements to come back to Cascade for a few days. She'd been looking for Blair, but Jim had taken the call, immediately agreeing to pick her up from the airport. He'd taken her to the loft to let her relax while he returned to work.

When Jim had gotten home from work, he'd found Naomi waiting, bag in hand. She announced she wanted to leave, that she couldn't and wouldn't upset Blair's life just for her own selfish maternal instincts. Without much tact, Jim had just taken her bag from her. So, there they stood, staring at each other.

"Jim?"

He heard her call his name.

"Are you feeling okay? If not, then you really don't need another guest..."

Jim felt his smile widen. "If I let you leave, Blair will never let me forget it. Now, if you don't do it for Blair or yourself, then at least think of me."

She couldn't resist that pleading voice and those eyes. "Are you certain?"

But Jim had already turned, taking her bag back to Blair's room. "Make yourself at home. Sandb...Blair's on campus. He's got study group then office hours and won't be home until later..."

"All the more reason for me to go." she said emphatically. "You don't want or need me hanging around."

"Naomi," Jim began in a warm voice. "It's not what I want that's important. It's what you and Blair need. Right now, you two need some time."

And it wasn't that he didn't want Naomi Sandburg around, quite to the contrary. The woman intrigued him. As closed-lipped as Blair was, Naomi was an open book. A book entitled Everything Jim Ever Wanted to Know About Blair, But Was Afraid to Ask. And ask he would... As soon as he got a shower.

"Don't mind me, I'm just gonna get cleaned up." As he headed up the stairs, a sudden thought crossed his mind. "If you're hungry, we could go out to eat."

Naomi smiled, a feeling of belonging taking her. Jim's argument for her to stay had warmed her. In his honor, there would be no burning of sage. Maybe a couple of those candles she'd bought in Big Sur... She cast her gaze up the steps. Jim wasn't in view, but she heard him moving around. "There's no need to go out. I can fix something..."

"Whatever makes you happy..." Jim replied, coming downstairs in his robe. *Did I just say that?* "Just don't mess with the furniture again." He heard her laughter as he shut the bathroom door.

~~~~~

As he ascended the stairs once more, toweling dry his hair, Jim could see Naomi had taken his advice and settled herself in. There she sat, in the middle of the living room floor, meditating, bathed in soft amber glow. The few lit candles highlighted the woman ever so sensually. Jim could feel himself smiling uncontrollably. *As long as she's relaxing, so am I.* Changing into more comfortable clothes, Jim settled himself across the bed, stretching out his muscles and inhaling deeply of the clean linens.

~~~~~

"Jim?"

A warm hand brushed across his cheek and Jim opened his eyes, slightly surprised at the woman sitting on the bed next to him. He smiled up at her, attempting to roll to his side. The only problem was his body didn't want to cooperate. He'd taken a nasty bruising when he'd jumped off the big rig the week before. A couple other incidents like that through the week had prolonged the soreness. Now his body protested all that rough handling.

She heard him grunt and abruptly collapse back onto the bed. Of their own free will, Naomi's hands searched Jim's back for the source of his discomfort. His soft sigh let her know his upper shoulders were the right place to start. She owed him a back-rub, if nothing else. Little reward for all he'd done for her - and Blair. When her son had given her a new address those months

ago, and mentioned that he'd taken a job with the police department, Naomi Sandburg had tried NOT to hit the roof. As she'd said before, she'd spent most of her life protesting and cops were not high on her list of occupations for her son. But the letters Blair had written had softened her misgivings to slight doubt and motherly pangs. Jim had taken Blair, a near stranger, into his home. Jim had also been instrumental to getting Blair's research project approved. And, she had to admit, Jim had taken a guiding hand in her son's life, providing a nurturing yet firm role as a kind of older brother - a protector. When she'd stared into the eyes of her son, she'd seen a maturity and confidence she'd been afraid would never be there. As much as she loved her son, Naomi had real worries. She'd raised him to be self-sufficient. Unfortunately, it meant growing up in a hurry, and Blair had sometimes regressed a bit too quickly and much too easily. But the Blair Sandburg she'd met the previous weekend, was the man she'd hoped he'd be. And without a doubt, she knew she owed much of that to Jim Ellison.

They sighed together, then laughed at the coincidence.

"Thanks." Jim said, finally able to roll to one side. "That was really wonderful."

"You're welcome, and maybe I should be thanking you..."

"Naomi, look." the pillow became bunched under his left arm, as he searched for the right words. "I didn't mean to get so territorial last week. I don't take change or surprises very well." Clearing his throat, Jim struggled with his thoughts and feelings. "I'm glad you came back. And I know Blair will be real happy to see you. He's a good kid, a good friend. And believe it or not - he'd make a good cop." *I KNOW I didn't just say that, did I?* Something on the comforter suddenly needed to be stared at, but still his words went on. "It may not be what you want for him, but he's an adult. And you just can't jeopardize your great friendship, as you said, because you suddenly feel the need to protect him." Hoping he hadn't just ruined everything, Jim looked up into her face.

Her smile said it all. "How is it, Jim, that you've known him for such a short time, yet you know him so well? And I've known him all his life, and I feel I don't know him at all..." Her hand caressed his cheek. *And why are you such a handsome man?*

As a friend and partner, Jim felt he knew Blair well. As Naomi's son, Jim didn't know Blair Sandburg from Adam in Eden. He said as much to the woman, finding her suddenly enthusiastic to share her private stock of information.

Naomi stood, moving towards the stairs, and Jim made to follow her. She quickly urged him to stay where he was, she'd be back in a few moments. And only a few minutes later, Naomi returned with a tray of food and wine, and a couple photo albums.

They opened the wine, nibbled the food, and had just begun with the albums when Blair came home from the University. Tossing his keys in the basket, his first thoughts centered on the familiar smell of his mother's perfume. The candles on the table were more evidence of Naomi's presence, so he called her name. At the sound of her laughter, Blair smiled and followed, hesitating only when he realized that she was up in Jim's room - and so very NOT alone. As he realized they were talking about HIM, he took the stairs in twos, surprised and NOT surprised to find such an intimate setting. *Every man she meets, Jim. Don't say I didn't warn you...* His mother's voice brought him out of his thoughts, and he took a piece of the delicate meat.

"I think I'm gonna need a drink." Blair said, motioning to Naomi's glass. "Gimme the wine..."

~~~~~

Eh? Made sense to me, but then again, it was 3:00 this morning. <VBS>