Disclaimer: The characters we all know and love - namely Jim, Blair, and Simon - aren't mine. I'm just borrowing them and I'll return them when I'm finished - in better condition than I found them. (I promise.)

NOTES: This one is for SHELAGH! Sorry we couldn't hook up, but I enjoyed Pittsburgh, anyway. The Regatta was FAN-tastic! And if the city is any indication of the surrounding area, then I'm certain your little corner is just as friendly, clean, and pleasant. My nephews and I will be the first to sing your city's praises. (In spite of the baseball team... kidding, just kidding!) The situations prsented are a fair representation of how my weekend went. And I actually wrote most of this long hand while in the hotel room. So, Shelagh, enjoy! OH! Just fluff and nonsense. See, I was waiting for the elevators and thinking and listening and it just kinda happened...

*...* denote character thoughts.

Some Ups and Downs.

by Wnnepooh

"All right, Sandburg." Jim started. "I was wrong, this city is NOTHING like I thought it would be. But..."

"Here it comes." Blair said in a low mumble. "But what?"

"But the next time we come to Pittsburgh for one of these - we're calling ahead first." His one hand went to the back of his neck as the other reached out to press the button once more.

"Nothing I could do about the company, buddy." And the anthropologist laughed lightly, remembering the stricken look on the detective's face when he'd seen the digital display sign at the Convention Center next door: "Welcome AMWAY Distributors." As they'd pulled the rental car up to the front doors, the two men had realized there were two conventions and one conveniently placed hotel.

Their convention was actually a meeting of Behavioral Scientists, there to explore and share modern research techniques. Sandburg had been asked to give a speech on the technique of "Infiltration and Integration," relating his work with the Cascade PD. Blair's work had raised enough interest in the field that he'd been requested by name, promised by his head of department, and the trip planned for over a month. But in true Sandburg fashion, Jim and Simon hadn't found out about it until Monday when the kid had asked for permission to share personal information from CPD and Major Crimes. Ellison had been so proud of his partner, he'd volunteered to accompany him. Captain Banks had readily agreed, knowing there was one rule of thumb with their observer - Blair Sandburg was a walking, talking trouble magnet. So the partners had gotten in on Friday and spent the late afternoon exploring Liberty Avenue, finding several unusual stores before heading back to the convention's evening mixer. Saturday morning, they'd gotten breakfast at a little bagel shop a couple blocks from the hotel, then trekked the 11 or so blocks down to the park and found it alive with action. There were boat races, water-craft displays, and foods that made Jim grin from ear to ear. (And Blair's cholesterol shoot up just thinking about it.)

The weekend to that point had been great, and the young man was looking forward to the banquet that night and the large brunch the next day. There was only one drawback to the trip. With two conventions in one hotel, there was an unusually high amount of traffic in the elevators. And elevators weren't something Blair took lightly. He looked over to his partner once more, noting the tilt to the older man's head. The tilt of the Sentinel's head let the young man know he was focused on something. He stepped up next to Jim and placed a hand on his shoulder. "What's up, Jim?"

"Huh?" and he shook his head a bit, turning a brief smile to his partner. "Just listening."

"To the elevators?" Blair asked watching as Jim nodded sheepishly. "There are six of them. You'd think the odds would say three would be going up and three would be coming down." Sandburg wasn't surprised to find that Jim was listening intently once more.

"Well," Jim said quietly, "four are going up, two are on their way down." Before he could say any more, Blair bounced with questions. Jim smiled and held up a hand to stop the barrage. "Not now, Chief. I just wanna get changed and do some laps in the pool. Number one is coming now." So said, the pair moved towards the end of the small alcove just as a pair of doors opened in front of them. Several people exited, as Jim slipped inside, grabbing Blair by the shoulder since the younger man was preoccupied watching the skirts as they passed. "I think you need a dousing yourself - in COLD water."

The doors nearly closed on Blair's giftbag.

"HEY!" The young man exclaimed, then searched through his bag. "You could've squashed my stuff!" In a panic, Blair rummaged through his purchases, finding the one wrapped in tissue and bringing it up hurriedly. Sandburg handed his bag to Jim as he unwrapped the small gift. Uncontrollably, he turned it upside down, then righted it.

Jim smiled at the look of complete amusement on his partner's face. *Still a kid...* "You know," he said with a smirk in his voice. "That snowglobe will look great on your desk at the precinct. Bet Rafe and Brown'll be jealous. Did you get them something?"

"Huh?" came the confused reply. "Why would I get them something? It's just Pittsburgh, you know. Why would they..." he stopped, looking up at Jim's laugh, not too well hidden under the man's hand. Blair promptly re-wrapped his Pittsburgh Skyline snowglobe and replaced it in his full bag, then yanked the entire thing back from his friend. "Man..."

"I'm seeing things more clearly, here, Chief. You're starving-student life isn't cause you DON'T have money. It's cause you hoard it to buy stuff like that." The two were laughing, enjoying their casual banter as the small elevator cabin made a stop-and-go trip finally stopping at the 21st floor. "What else do you have in that Mary Poppins bag?"

As he watched Jim open the door to their room, Blair began rattling off the number of t-shirts and oddities. "Let's see, t-shirts from the Regatta, the University, the convention, Three Rivers stadium - OH, and the brewery. Then there's the Sak's Fifth Avenue mug and coffee for Simon. Uh....that and..."

"No need to speak up, I can hear you." Jim said off-handedly as he entered the bathroom to change into his swim trunks.

*Well, DUH!*

Blair smiled, and tried to continue as he settled the purchases on the bed. "And I got a couple toys from that liquidators..." *Thankfully they sent that stuffed Panther back to Cascade. Don't want to explain that until we get home.* he thought quickly, then continued. "Got your taffy from the Candy-Rama, and the shoe-string licorice."

"Good," Jim said quietly as he exited the bathroom. "I hate those twists you get at home. Anything you MISSED?" he said with a laugh, spying the loot on the bed.

Sandburg laughed then began to gather things up. "Nah, man. I think I got everything. Cept that one Beanie Baby that Shealagh's been looking for - Mystic, the Unicorn. But I can probably grab that at the Airport on the way home." He looked over his shoulder as Jim grabbed one key-card.

"You know, Chief? Swimming is good exercise."

"Me? Exercise? You were outside WAY too long." and the two men laughed. "Really, I have to work on my speech for tonight."

"So? Bring your notebook and at least sit in the solarium." Jim noticed it didn't influence his partner much, so he added a thought. "You can watch the women in the health club, through the glass wall ..."

The Sandburg smile almost blinded the detective.

They walked down the hall to the elevators, pressing the button to grab a ride down to the fourth floor. As they were standing there, Jim once again tuned in his Sentinel hearing.

"Betcha they call in the elevator repair company first thing Monday morning," the younger man quipped.

Only a good friend could hear the nervousness to the voice. Setting a reassuring hand on Blair's shoulder, Jim smiled and spoke. "It couldn't hurt. Number one's got a sqeak that shows up ever other floor. Number four is slower than all the rest. Number two has a churning sound that's gotten worse since last night, and number five is whining pretty badly."

"Thanks for the affirmation of my fears, buddy."

"The other two seem to be fine. Only problem is that they're the ones full all the time."

Blair nodded, then smiled, quickly pulling out his notebook. "Describe that to me, again. And give me more details. How did you isolate each of the cars and their respective noises? What kind of effect does it have when a car passes your position going up or down? Anything special going on?"

"Whoah, Chief." Came the laughing rebuttal, along with a pair of hands in the air to motion "STOP" to his partner. "We'll talk about it later. Number six is just about here. And here's a hint. It's gonna stop any second on the floor below us -even YOU can hear the bell. What I focus on, that you can't, is the combination of vibration in the floor and the sound of the cable. Now step up to the door, there's only a couple heartbeats in the car, so there's room for us."

Blair laughed just as the doors to number six opened and the two men got on.

In his periferal vision, the young man noticed the uniform in the corner. He didn't think anything of it until he looked up at his partner. The smile on Jim's face let the young man know something was worth a further look. It took a second or two, but Sandburg finally got the joke.

"Excuse me," the young man started, nervously. "But I have to stop the elevator every few floors. Does anyone mind that?"

The four people shook their heads, Jim and Blair included.

Jim asked before Blair could. "I'm wondering what you're doing here, though."

"The hotel called three of us in for some immediate, diagnostics. Guess all the occupancy has stressed the system..."

"And the patrons." Jim said with a smile. "Sorry to bother you. Thanx."

They let him do as he needed, then withdrew into their own conversation. As the bell dinged for the fourth floor, Blair took one last look at the man in the corner, then smiled and exited the elevator car behind Jim.

Careful to let the doors close completely before speaking, Blair finally let go with a full body laugh. The force of it was causing him to stutter through words. "Tell me that wasn't an OTIS Elevator Repairman, just now in there."

Jim just laughed and pulled his friend down the hall. "C'mon, Chief. I'll spring for you to get a massage. You sound like you need one..."

Sandburg's refusal died on his lips as he saw the pretty blonde exiting the massage room. He remembered meeting her the night before when the two men had explored the hotel's facilities. She'd smiled and introduced herself before anyone else had. If SHE was the masseuse on duty, then Blair knew he could definitely give up a half hour for her.

The smile on his friend's face was all Jim needed as he handed the clerk his room key and signed the appropriate rosters - including the one for massages. And Jim decided it was a good idea for them both. "C'mon, Sandburg." Jim said tagging Blair on the shoulder and, amazingly-enough, getting the kid's attention. "I want to get some laps done - today." He watched his partner wave to the girl, then headed for the locker room, still dragging the kid behind him. "I promise to talk to you every six laps..."

Blair smiled to his friend, handing the older man his notebook to place in the locker. "Uh, Jim... I'll be right back man. Maybe some laps would do me some good...."

"Whatever, Junior. See you in a few." And shaking his head with laughter, Jim walked towards the showers knowing elevators and hearing were now the furthest things from Blair's mind.

~Finis~

One last note: Shelagh, if you EVER get the opportunity to get a massage at the Double Tree, ask for Mike. His hands - ummmmmm... wonderful....