"Hey," Joel greeted as he entered the room

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"None," Simon answered, never taking his eyes off of the two still figures lying on the hospital beds.

Walking over to stand beside his fellow captain, Joel placed a hand on Simon's shoulder and said, "You have to know that this wasn't your fault. You can't keep blaming yourself like this."

"Yes, Joel, it is my fault," Simon argued as he reached up a hand to push up his glasses and pinch the bridge of his nose. "I'm the one who ordered them to go today. If it weren't for me, they never would have been hurt and they sure as hell wouldn't be lying here unconscious right now. And for what, Joel? To teach them a lesson? Well, I certainly succeeded at that."

"Simon," Joel started, trying to console the grief-ridden man, "you had good intentions. With all the grief the commissioner has been giving you over some of the stunts that Jim and Blair have pulled, it's no wonder you wanted to teach them a lesson or two. You only wanted to get them to follow regulations more, to start waiting for backup. This was a routine if somewhat boring, time consuming assignment. You couldn't have known it would turn out like it did. No one could have predicted that something like this would happen."

Chuckling slightly, Simon fondly looked upon his two friends and said, "Actually, Joel, I should have learned by now that anything can happen when these two are involved. No matter how unlikely, no matter how outrageous, anything that can possibly go wrong, will go wrong."

"Trouble certainly does seem to follow them around," Joel agreed. "But you also have to remember that no matter what happens, they always manage to come through fine. They have overcome so many obstacles and tragedies. This time won't be any different. And we'll be there every step of the way, helping them."

Taking in the two battered, broken bodies before him, Simon said, "God, Joel, I only hope it's enough."

"It will be, Simon," Joel replied. "It has to be. The two of them, they're too special to lose."

"Simon," Joel interrupted. "I was a detective once too, you know. I realize that there's something different about Jim and Blair. I've seen the way they work together. The way Jim is able to make impossible connections in his cases, the way he can pick up on seemingly invisible evidence at crime scenes. I don't know exactly what it is, but I know Jim has some sort of advantage and that Blair is somehow connected to it."

"If there was something going on with Jim and Blair, and I'm not saying that there is, it wouldn't be right for me to..."

"Too what?" Joel inquired. "To break any confidences, to betray their trust in you."

"Well, I kind of became suspicious when Blair kept 'observing' after his ride-along pass should have expired," Joel explained. "I did some checking, called in a few favors and took a look at Blair's personnel records. Seems as if every time Blair's ride-along pass comes up for renewal, his paperwork somehow manages to be misplaced or overlooked. So, it looks as if I'm not the only one calling in a few markers, huh?"

Receiving no answer, Joel shrugged and then continued, "Well if Jim and Blair do have some secret that you're helping to protect, you should know that a lot of people seem to be interested in our two friends here."

"I'm not the only one that's been checking them out. A few weren't anything to be concerned about, just a couple of uniforms and detectives who were curious about Blair." Joel explained. "But the others..."

"They can't be traced, Simon," Joel responded while turning an intense look at his fellow captain. "When I tried to track down the officers that were named in the reports, I simply couldn't find them. It's as if they only existed on paper. But what really worries me is how good the records were faked. It took a whole lot of digging before I uncovered the truth. Whoever these people were, they had to have had some pretty powerful connections to establish these fake ID's."

"What I'm saying, Simon," Joel answered, "is that I'm not the only one who has noticed that there's something special about our friends."

Standing up, Simon walked over to stand beside Jim's bed. Looking down at his friend, he said, "And now, because I sent them on this assignment, they're hurt and can't even protect themselves."

"That's what we're here for, Simon," Joel stated. "To protect them and watch over them until they've recovered. But, Simon, I meant what I said before. I don't think their injuries are your fault. Call it a gut feeling or police instinct, but I think whatever happened today had nothing to do with the assignment you gave them."

"I've got a contact down in records who lets me know when someone comes asking questions about Jim and Blair. Lately it's been pretty quiet, nothing out of the ordinary. Until..."

"Two days ago, someone came in requesting all records pertaining to Jim and Blair," Joel explained. "Not only since Blair became an observer, but also all the records since Jim joined the force. I didn't say anything yet because I really didn't think anyone would try something. Especially not with all the publicity surrounding Jim's 'Officer of the Year' award."

Sighing, Joel added, "It gets worse, Simon." At Simon's questioning look, Joel continued, "The ones who requested the records weren't PD officers. They were government agents."

Before Simon could respond, the door opened and Jim and Blair's doctor entered the room. "Good evening, gentlemen," he greeted. "I'd like to give you an update on Detective Ellison and Mr. Sandburg's condition."

Exchanging a quick glance with Joel, Simon went to take his seat again as the doctor began to speak.

Joel acknowledged the doctor's arrival by nodding his head slightly in the man's direction.

"Hello, Dr. Jones," Simon replied with a slight smile. "What can you tell us about Jim and Blair's condition?"

Walking over to stand between the two beds, Dr. Jones replied, "As you can probably tell by looking at Blair, he's been pretty severely beaten. By the looks of it, I'd say that he was tortured."

"Tortured!" Simon exclaimed. Turning to look at Joel, Simon was puzzled by the seemingly expressionless look on the other man's face. Feeling slightly uneasy by Joel's lack of response to this information, he faced the doctor again and inquired, "What all was done to Blair?"

Glancing at the chart he held, Dr. Jones answered, "He has a slight concussion, a couple of broken ribs, some deep bruising to his spleen and kidneys, broken index finger and thumb on his left hand and several small burns to the bottoms of his feet. By the looks of it, I'd say the burns were inflicted with a lit cigarette."

"Oh my God," Came Simon's shocked reply. After closing his eyes briefly, he looked up at the doctor again. "What about..." Simon began. "What I mean is that... Look, Doctor, when Jim and Blair were found the only thing Blair had on was a pair of boxers. I just want to know... Well, was he..."

"Yeah, Doc," Simon answered. Dreading what he would hear, Simon repeated, "Was Blair raped?"

Seeing Simon's concern, Dr. Jones reassured him, "No, Captain Banks. During my examination, I found no indication that Blair had been raped."

"Right now," the doctor continued, "we are keeping Blair unconscious. If he were awake he would be in a tremendous amount of pain, which at the present time would be detrimental to his recovery. After his body has a chance to heal some, we'll wean him off the medication and wake him up."

"With the extent of his injuries, I'd like to keep him under for the rest of today and possibly tomorrow as well," Dr. Jones explained.

"I'm sorry, gentlemen," the doctor responded, "but as of right now, it is in Blair's best interests to remain unconscious. I realize that you need to find the people responsible for this, but it is going to have to wait."

Seeing the resigned look on the faces of the two captains, Dr. Jones proceeded with his report. "Now, on to Detective Ellison. Frankly, gentlemen, Jim's condition has me stumped. He has been unconscious ever since they were brought into the ER, but we can not find any medical reason for it. We have run numerous tests and can find no chemical traces in his blood and he hasn't received any type of injury to his head. He just won't wake up and we honestly have no idea why or when he might come out of it."

"Yes, I was just coming to that," Dr. Jones responded. "As I'm sure you've noticed, Jim has deep lacerations on both wrists. These injuries would be consistent with him having strained and fought against some form of restraint. Probably handcuffs or shackles judging by the metal slivers that were imbedded in the wounds. There was extensive damage done to both wrists and in all probability Jim will require plastic surgery to minimize the scarring." Closing the file he held, Dr. Jones continued, "But until he wakes up, that's all I can tell you about his condition."

After a few seconds of silence, Simon sighed and stated, "There is a way to get Jim to wake up doctor."

Feeling rather insulted at the doctor's scoffing tone, Simon asserted, "Yes there is."

"I've already told you that Blair's recovery is being aided by his remaining unconscious," Dr. Jones stated. "To wake him up now could jeopardize his recovery."

"Look, Dr. Jones," Simon argued, "there are things that I simply can't go into with you, but you have to listen to me. Blair will be able to reach Jim. And he is the only person even remotely capable of doing so."

Seeing the indecision on the doctor's face, Simon persisted, "It's what Blair would want you to do."

"Besides," Simon added, "if you check both Blair and Jim's records, you'll see that they have both given me permission to make medical decisions for them should they both become incapacitated. I'm telling you. Wake him up!"

The silence that filled the room after Simon's shout was disturbed by a moan. All three men drew near, coming over to stare at the beds' occupants. Slowly, two eyelids fluttered open and the men were pinned by an intense pale blue gaze.

"Jim!" Simon cried out in relief. "It's good to see you awake. How are you feeling?"

Ignoring the question, Jim peered past Simon to look at Blair. Frowning, he turned his gaze back to Simon. Flinching when he saw the enraged expression on Jim's face, Simon's blood ran cold when he heard Jim growl, "Who are you and what have you done to my guide?"

Seeing no recognition on Jim's face, Simon directed a questioning look at the doctor. Receiving nothing but a puzzled expression, Simon turned his attention back to Jim. "Jim? C'mon, don't do this to me. It's Simon. Simon Banks. You know me."

Not responding, Jim strained against the restraints on his arms. Quickly becoming frustrated, he demanded, "Let me go."

"Detective Ellison," Dr. Jones interrupted before Simon could respond, "look at me please." After Jim turned towards him, Dr. Jones continued, "Do you know where you are?"

"Good," the doctor replied. "Now, do you know who these two gentlemen are?" he asked while gesturing towards Simon and Joel.

Brow wrinkled in concentration, Jim intently studied the two men. After several seconds, he stammered, "I... They... I don't know. I get brief flashes, fragments, a momentary hint of certain emotions but that's it. There's nothing solid, nothing I can keep a hold of."

"It's okay," the doctor soothed the agitated man. "These emotions, can you describe them to me?"

"Feelings of friendship, camaraderie," Jim supplied. "But there's also feelings of danger, of threat. But not for me, for..." Not finishing, Jim once again sought out Blair.

"Jim," Simon called out, hoping to attract his friend's attention. Stopping as Jim turned to look at him, Simon was shocked by the pain-filled eyes staring up at him.

"I have to get him out of here," Jim pleaded. "I need to find someplace safe for us to go."

"Who will come back, Jim?" Simon inquired. "You have to tell us something. There must be something you remember. Where were you? Who took you? What happened? Why did they let you go?"

Overwhelmed by the bombardment of questions, Jim yelled, "I already told you, I don't remember!" Continuing in a softer tone, he stated, "I just... There's a sound echoing around inside my head. And it's like the sound is blocking everything else. It's filling my mind and I can't get past it."

"Jim?" Joel softly called out. After Jim turned to look at him, Joel continued, "What sound is it?"

All three men flinched as they heard Jim's pain filled response, "The sound of my guide screaming in agony."

"I can't get it out of my mind," Jim continued. "It just keeps repeating over and over again. My guide, he's screaming as they... as they..."

"They... They... I don't know!" Jim shouted as he renewed his struggles against the restraints holding him. "I told you, I don't remember anything. I don't remember anything except his screams. Now let me go!"

Approaching the bed, Dr. Jones reached out and placed a hand on Jim's shoulder. "Please calm down, Detective Ellison."

Stilling, Jim turned to look at the doctor, "Detective Ellison? Is that my name?"

"Just that I'm called Jim." Then looking over at Blair, Jim explained, "It's what I remember him yelling. He kept calling out 'Jim'. That's all he said the whole time. Until he couldn't say it anymore. Then it was just the screams."

Slightly taken aback by the matter-of-fact tone, Dr. Jones persisted, "But what..."

"Doctor," Simon interrupted, "remember when I told you that there were some things about Jim and Blair that I simply couldn't go into?"

"Well this is one of those things," Simon stated. "Look, it seems to me that we need to focus on Jim's memory loss. So can we just drop the guide business?"

"For now," the doctor conceded when he saw the determined look on the captain's face. Turning his attention back to his patient, he continued to question Jim. "Detective Ellison, do you know what your guide's name is?"

"What kind of idiot are you?" Jim growled. "Of course I do. My guide's name is... It's..." Trying to reach up a hand to rub across his face, Jim efforts were once again hampered by the restraints. "For the last time," he bellowed, "get these fucking restraints off of me."

"Relax, Jim," Simon responded in a calm tone. Knowing that Jim was using aggression to mask his fear, Simon sought to reassure him. "Everything will be fine."

"Fine?" Emitting a brief bark of laughter, Jim said, "Yeah, right. I can't even remember you, my life or even my guide's name and you've got the nerve to stand there and tell me everything is going to be fine!"

"Blair," Jim repeated while turning to stare at his guide. "What's wrong with him? Why is he unconscious."

"Mr. Sandburg's injuries are rather severe and if he were conscious he would be in a lot of pain," Dr. Jones answered. "So in order to aid in his recovery, we are keeping his unconscious..." Trailing off as Jim began to struggle wildly against the restraints; the doctor stood by in disbelief as Jim managed to free one of his hands.

Reaching up his hand, Jim grabbed the doctor around the throat and pulled him down until they were nose to nose. "Are you trying to tell me," Jim softly purred into the startled man's face, "that you are drugging my g... Blair to keep him unconscious?" Slowly tightening his hand, Jim increased the pressure on the doctor's throat.

Watching on in shock, Simon was finally jarred from his paralysis when he noticed the doctor struggling for air. Lunging forward, Simon grabbed Jim's hand and attempted to pry his fingers off of the doctor. "Let go, Jim!" Simon ordered. "You're going to kill him."

Stepping forward, Joel yelled, "If you want Blair to recover, then let the doctor go." Seeing the indecision on Jim's face and the slight relaxing of his grip on the doctor, Joel warned, "If you harm him, you'll be moved out of this room. And if that happens, how will you be able to protect your guide?"

Staggering as Jim suddenly released him, Dr. Jones coughed and managed to gasp out, "That's it. I'm ordering Detective Ellison transferred to the psychiatric ward until he can undergo a complete evaluation."

"You can't do that Dr. Jones," Joel protested. "Look I know Jim may seem little irrational right now, but that's because he has just been through a very traumatic ordeal."

" 'A little irrational'," Dr. Jones repeated, "He just tried to strangle me. That is more than just a little irrational."

"Can you blame him?" Joel reasoned. "From what we can know, Jim was forced to watch as some bastards tortured Blair. Think about it for a minute, doctor. How would you feel in Jim's place? If it was you who was made to watch your friend, your partner being beaten and burned."

"Gentlemen, I can sympathize with Detective Ellison. I truly can," Dr. Jones stated. "Nonetheless, he will still need to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. Both for the trauma he underwent and his subsequent memory loss."

"Nobody is disputing that," Joel responded. "But does Jim have to be moved away from Blair? A separation like that wouldn't do either of them any good. You have to know that."

Sighing, Dr. Jones relented, "All right. I will allow Detective Ellison to stay with Mr. Sandburg. But there will be some conditions that must be met."

"First, the next time Detective Ellison becomes violent, in any way, he will be moved to the psychiatric ward." Seeing the two Captains nod, Dr. Jones continued, "Second, he will cooperate fully with the staff during his and Mr. Sandburg's recovery. And that includes undergoing the psychiatric evaluation and any therapy the psychiatrist deems necessary."

"That shouldn't be a problem," Simon said. "You'll go along with this won't you, Jim?" Receiving no response, Simon glanced down at Jim. Seeing the vacant look in Jim eye's, Simon finally realized that Jim had zoned. Cursing himself for not noticing sooner, Simon placed his hand on Jim shoulder and began to shake the detective. "Jim? C'mon, answer me. Don't do this to me. Jim?"

"What the hell?" Doctor Jones exclaimed. Pulling his stethoscope from around his neck, he leaned over to listen to Jim heartbeat and respiration. Noting the slow heartbeat and shallow breathing, he started to reach for the call button. Startled when his hand was suddenly grabbed, Dr. Jones looked up at Simon. "What do you think you're doing? I need to get this man some help."

"What?" Then, after thinking back to the Captain's earlier words, Dr. Jones looked over at Blair. "This is more of those things that you can't go into, isn't it?"

"Let me guess, you're going to tell me that Mr. Sandburg is the only one who can help and that I should wake him up."

"How do you expect me to treat my patients when I don't have all the necessary information?" the doctor asked.

"You have all the information that I can give you," Simon answered. "And for now, it's all the information that you need. Wake up Sandburg."

Seeing the lingering doubt on Dr. Jones' face, Simon stated, "If it comes down to it, I'll check them both out AMA. But, I would rather not do that right now. Please, doctor. This is the right thing to do." Hearing the sudden hitch in Jim's breathing, Simon continued, "If you don't wake Blair up, we're going to lose Jim."

Hearing the conviction in Simon's words, Dr. Jones conceded, "I'll need to go get an injection for Mr. Sandburg. But I swear, Captain, if something goes wrong then I will hold you solely responsible."

Placing his stethoscope back around his neck, he added, "I only hope that you know what you're asking me to do, Captain. For your sake as well as Mr. Sandburg's."

After watching the doctor walk out of the room, Simon turned to look at Blair. "So do I, doctor," he murmured. "So do I."

"Yeah, Joel," Simon responded while turning to face his fellow captain. "What is it?"

Holding up his hand, Joel interrupted, "I know, I know. You can't tell me, right?"

"I'm sorry, Joel," Simon apologized, "but I can't. Like I said before, I don't have the right to tell you. It's up to them, not me."

"I understand, Simon," Joel reassured. "I might not like it, but I'll accept it. Jim and Blair's safety is all that matters now."

Seeing the look of unease on the other man's face, Simon started to say something but stopped as the doctor returned to the room. Pushing aside his concerns about Joel for the moment, Simon turned his attention to the doctor.

Entering the room with a nurse in tow, the doctor immediately went over to Blair's bedside. Holding up a needle, Dr. Jones explained, "Gentlemen, I'm going to administer this shot to Mr. Sandburg then the nurse will switch his IV bags."

Preparing to inject Blair, Dr. Jones explained, "This shot will counteract the sedative Mr. Sandburg received. The IV bag contains a different pain medication. One that will help combat Mr. Sandburg's discomfort without rendering him unconscious." After injecting the medication, he stepped aside to let the nurse switch IV bags.

Crossing over to Jim's bedside, Dr. Jones began to re-do the restraint on Jim's arm.

"We have no way of knowing how Detective Ellison we react when he comes out of this trance state that he's in," the doctor explained. "And I for one do not want a repeat occurrence of what happened earlier." Finished with that side, Dr. Jones went over and began undoing the restraint on Jim's other arm. "So I'm replacing the lighter restraints with sturdier ones."

"Pardon me, Captain," Dr. Jones snidely replied, "but you weren't the one he strangled. And as I said, it is a experience I would rather not repeat if that's alright with you."

"I'm glad we're in agreement," Dr. Jones responded as he walked over to the foot of Blair's bed. Picking up Blair's chart, he began making notations in it as he said, "You have to understand something, Captain Banks. When Mr. Sandburg regains consciousness, he will be sluggish and confused. If you're looking for answers right away, you won't find them. And I will not let you interrogate my patient under these conditions. Any questioning will have to wait. Am I making myself clear?"

Bristling slightly at the implication that he would do something to hamper Blair's recovery, Simon scowled. "Perfectly clear, Doctor. However, I resent you're implying that I would do something to harm one of my men. I had no intentions of questioning Blair yet."

"Of course, Captain," Dr. Jones replied. "My apologies. I just wanted to make sure we understand each other." Turning his attention to the nurse, Dr. Jones watched as she finished hooking up the new IV bag. "Thank you," he said when she finished. "That will be all. You can go now."

"How long does it take this medication to work?" Joel asked as the nurse left the room.

"We should be seeing some indication of consciousness soon," Dr. Jones informed him.

Hearing a soft groan, all three men turned to look at Blair. Quickly walking over to stand beside Blair's bed, Simon leaned over and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "Blair? Can you hear me?"

Struggling to wake up, Blair slowly opened his eyes. Squinting at the face hovering above him, he tried to speak again, "Wha..."

Seeing the younger man's difficulty, Simon explained, "Jim's kinda out of it right now, Blair. He's needs you to bring him around."

"Oh!" Simon exclaimed. "You need to get closer to Jim. So you can touch him, right?" Seeing the slight smile on Blair's face, Simon turned to Joel and Dr. Jones. "We need to move the beds closer together. Blair has to be able to touch Jim."

After several seconds of careful rearranging, the two beds were angled towards each other. Still standing between the two beds, Simon watched as Blair attempted to raise his hand.

"Alright," Simon said. "Let me help." Reaching out to lightly grasp Blair's left hand, Simon hesitated because of the bandaged fingers.

"Hang on, Sandburg," Simon replied to the questioning tone. "I think this might hurt some."

Lifting up Blair's left hand, Simon flinched as he heard the pain-filled gasp. "I'm sorry, Blair. I'll stop."

"Shit," Simon cursed. "I'll try to hurry." Simon gently moved Blair's hand and laid it on top of Jim's arm. When Blair failed to do anything, Simon looked up and asked, "What? Tell me what to do, Blair. How can I help?"

"Rub?" Simon repeated. Seeing Blair glance down at his hand on Jim's arm, Simon stated, "You need to rub Jim's arm."

Watching Blair nod his head slightly, Simon reached out and placed his hand on top of Blair's. Slowly, he began to move Blair's hand up Jim's arm.

"What?" Simon asked when he heard Blair's slight intake of breath. "Sandburg, what's wrong?" Looking down, Simon saw that Blair's hand was touching the restraint on Jim's arm. "Oh that. It's okay, Blair. The doctor just had Jim restrained so that he wouldn't hurt himself."

"Take the restraints off?" Simon asked. "I don't know about that. Doctor, can the restraint come off?"

"C'mon, Doctor," Simon implored. "Taggart and I will be here to prevent Jim from doing anything." Without waiting for a response, Simon began undoing the restraint. "Get on the other side of Jim, Joel. And be prepared to hold him down if something happens."

Not letting the doctor finish, Simon finished removing the restraint and then began moving Blair's hand up and down Jim's arm again. Straining, he could barely make out the soft words spoken by the younger man. "C'mon back, 'im. Need you."

After several seconds, the quiet plea seemed to reach Jim. Starting to shake slightly, Jim took a deep, gasping breath. Suddenly stilling, he cocked his head to the side. A soft, small smile appeared on his face briefly. "My guide," he murmured before turning to look at the man beside him.

Wanting to touch the other man, Jim tried to raise his hand but was stopped by a powerful hold on his arm. Looking down, Jim saw the hands holding his wrist. Angered by this continued restraint, Jim struggled against Joel. "Let me go!" Feeling a slight pressure on his other arm, Jim turned to find Blair staring at him.

Calming slightly, Jim lay there looking at Blair. Worried by Jim's behavior, Blair turned to question Simon. "What wrong?" he managed to ask.

"Blair..." Simon began. Worried about how Blair would react to the news of Jim's condition, Simon cast a helpless look at the doctor.

Swallowing nervously, the doctor stepped back again. Then after taking a look at the furious expression on Jim's face took another two steps back. Feeling slightly reassured by the increased distance between Jim and himself, Dr. Jones responded to Blair's question. "Mr. Sandburg, Detective Ellison seems to be suffering from memory loss. He has no memory of Captains Banks and Taggart or his life. The only things he seems to remember is his name and that you are his 'guide'. Whatever that means."

Hearing the increase in Blair's heartbeat and respiration, Jim once again struggled against Joel. Breaking free, he leaned forward. Reaching over, he lightly traced the bruises on Blair's face with his fingertips. Feeling the slight tremors coursing through the other man's body, Jim vowed, "Never again."

Seeming to lose himself in the feel of the skin under his fingertips, Jim continued to softly stroke Blair's cheek. Lulled by the repetitive motion, Blair's eyelids began to slowly close.

Shaking his head, Jim roused from the slight zone he had been in. "I'm fine, Blair. Get some more rest. I'll be right here watching over you."

"'kay," Blair mumbled as he settled back against the bed and closed his eyes. A few seconds later, Jim announced, "He's asleep."

"Probably for the rest of the night," the doctor answered. "Even though I administered the shot, he still has some of the sedative in his system. That, coupled with his injuries, should guarantee he sleeps for awhile." Turning his attention back to Jim, he added, "And while Mr. Sandburg is sleeping, I'd like to arrange for Detective Ellison to see Dr. Howard."

"The hospital's staff psychiatrist," Dr. Jones explained. "The sooner the psychological evaluation is completed, the sooner Detective Ellison can begin treatment which will hopefully aid in his memory returning."

"Simon, Jim," Simon stated, hoping to make Jim feel more comfortable around him. "You usually call me Simon."

Smiling slightly, Jim said, "I'll agree to see this guy." Looking over at the sleeping figure next to him, he declared, "But only if he comes here because I'm not leaving Blair."

Not wanting to risk agitating Jim again, Dr. Jones relented, "I'll see what I can do."

After Dr. Jones left the room, Joel turned to address Simon and Jim. "Well, I think I should be leaving now."

"I really should check in at the station, Simon," Joel explained. "See how Rafe and Brown are coming. There might be some new leads on what happened to..."

"It's like how it is with the two of you," Jim answered. Seeing the puzzled expressions directed his way, Jim elaborated, "There's no clear memories, just feelings. I KNOW that I can trust the two of you. But there are no memories to back up that feeling."

Exchanging an uneasy look with Simon, Joel said, "I'm sure this Dr. Howard will be able to help, Jim."

"I hope so," Jim replied. "Because if not... I mean, how am I supposed to protect Blair if I can't even remember who and what I need to protect him from? I have to remember. I keep trying to, but every time something seems to be coming back..."

"Jim, look at me," Simon ordered. Once he had the other man's attention, he continued, "It's like you said, you can trust Joel and I. Whatever happens, we're here for you and Blair. So tell us. Please."

After searching the other man's face for several long seconds, Jim explained, "I get flashes of something. The sight of masked faces, the scent of blood, the feel of cold steel digging into my wrists. Then there's..." Jim shuddered as he struggled to get the words out. "There's the sound of his screams and everything else gets driven away."

Clearing his throat to break the uncomfortable silence following Jim's words, Joel again asserted, "I'm sure the psychiatrist will be able to help you get your memory back."

"Look at him," Jim demanded while gesturing towards Blair. "If you were me, would you want to have those memories? Memories of him being hurt, being beaten?"

Walking over to Jim, Simon leaned over and placed his hands on the other man's shoulders. "Jim, I understand where you're coming from. Believe me I do. But... I mean..." Sighing in frustration, Simon finally asked, "Jim, if you get all your other memories back too, then won't it be worth it?"

"Really?" Simon responded. "Can you honestly tell me that you don't want to remember everything? Your family, your friends, your home?" Seeing that he wasn't getting through to Jim, Simon switched tactics. "How about Blair? You couldn't even remember his name. That doesn't bother you? Don't you want to know how you met him? Don't you want to remember the life the two of you have together?"

Slumping back against the bed, Jim said, "Somehow I think that if I did get those memories back, the bad ones would outnumber the good."

"No they wouldn't," Simon argued. "I'm not going to lie to you, Jim. You and Sandburg have been through some pretty bad experiences. But, and you have to trust me on this, there has also been a whole lot of good ones. I know you, Jim. I know the kind of person that you are. I also know that those experiences have helped to make you that person. A person that I am honored to have as my friend."

"So what are you saying?" Jim asked. "That I'm not the same person without those memories? That I won't be worthy enough to be your friend if I don't get my memory back?"

"Of course not," Simon protested. "Look, Jim, I'm just trying to tell you that no matter how painful it may be, you are going to have to try to remember. After all it's like you said, how are you supposed to protect Sandburg if you can't remember the people that hurt him? If you don't want to face those memories for yourself, then do it for Blair. Do it for your guide!"

Following Simon's outburst, the door opened. Entering the room, Dr. Jones asked, "Is everything alright?"

"Very well, gentlemen," Dr. Jones said. Then, gesturing to the man standing beside him, he added, "This is Dr. Howard."

When Jim and Simon failed to greet the newcomer, Joel stepped forward and held out his hand. "It's nice to meet you doctor. I'm Joel Taggart."

Reaching out his own hand to grasp Joel's, Dr. Howard replied, "Nice to meet you too."

Smiling, Joel said, "Unfortunately I can't stay. I was just leaving for the station."

"If you'll excuse me," Dr. Jones said, "I have other patients to see. I'll be back later to check on Mr. Sandburg."

Waiting until after the other doctor had left the room, Dr. Howard walked over the stand by Simon. "Captain Banks, isn't it?"

"Dr. Jones briefed me on this case," Dr. Howard responded. "Though I must admit that I am rather confused about some of the details."

"For instance," Dr. Howard replied as he turned his attention to Jim, "this guide business and the events leading up to Detective Ellison and Mr. Sandburg's being here at the hospital. Now, Dr. Jones said that you refused to discuss some of these things with him. But I won't be so easily dissuaded, gentlemen."

"The memories are there, Detective," the doctor explained. "You've just repressed them."

"Now listen to me, Ch...." Jim's eyes widen slightly as he trailed off. Turning to look at Blair, he whispered, "Chief."

Turing to face the two men, Jim exclaimed, "Chief!" Looking to Simon for confirmation, Jim stated, "I call Blair that sometimes, don't I?"

Grinning, Simon replied, "Yes, you do. This is great, Jim. Do you remember anything else?"

"Just a minute," Dr. Howard interrupted. "I don't want to push Detective Ellison right now. If we try to rush the memories before he's ready for them, there's no telling what kind of damage will be done. My main concern is his well being, both physically and mentally. And I won't do anything to jeopardize either one."

"You won't get any argument from me, doc," Jim said. "Especially since I'm not sure that I even want my memory back."

"First off, why don't you just call me Jim, okay?" Jim requested. "And as for my memories, it's like I told Captain Banks, I get the impression that most of them aren't very good ones."

Glancing over at Blair, Dr. Howard inquired, "I take it you're referring to your memories of what happened to you and Mr. Sandburg."

"Well, I'll tell you what, how about we hold off on that for now?" Seeing Jim's questioning look, Dr. Howard elaborated, "In order to fully understand what we're dealing with here, I would like Captain Banks to explain the events leading up to your being brought to the hospital earlier today. What he knows of them anyway?"

"Good," Dr. Howard replied. "Now, Captain Banks, if you're just come with me to my office."

"Wait a minute, here," Jim said. "What are you talking about? Why do you want to take Captain Banks to your office?"

"As I said before, Jim, I don't want to risk rushing your memory back," Dr. Howard explained. "So I think it's best if Captain Banks and I talk privately." Noticing how tired Jim looked, he added, "Besides, you look like you could use some sleep yourself."

"Jim," Dr. Jones reasoned, "you're on the verge of exhaustion yourself. You need to rest."

"Because, I..." Looking over at Blair, Jim continued, "I promised him never again."

"That I'll never let him get hurt like this again," Jim answered. "I promised him. Never again."

"Jim, you'll both be protected," Simon promised. "I have several uniformed officers stations throughout the hospital, including two outside this room. You're be safe here."

"I hand picked the men stationed here, Jim," Simon stated. "I trust them all. Every single one of them would give their life to protect you and Blair. If I felt any differently then they wouldn't be here."

"Good," Dr. Howard stated. "You try and get some sleep while I talk to Captain Banks. Later, after you've had a chance to rest, I'll come back and we can get started." Receiving a slight nod from Jim, he turned to face Simon. "If you'll come with me, Captain?"

After taking a quick glance at Jim, Simon replied, "Of course, Doctor." Turning to Jim, he again stated, "You can trust me, Jim. I promise that you and Blair will be safe here." Then he followed the doctor out of the room.

Watching the door shut, Jim quietly stated, "I'd find that a lot more reassuring if I could remember you." Turning on his side, Jim faced Blair and said, " Don't worry, Chief. I won't let my guard down." Reaching out a hand, he laid it on Blair's arm and began to lightly rub his thumb over the bruised flesh. "Rest," he whispered. "You're safe now and your sentinel is watching over you."

After following Dr. Howard out of the room, Simon stopped to address the two officers stationed by the door. "Nobody goes into this room without an escort. Do I make myself clear?"

"I mean it, gentlemen," Simon added. "If anything happens to either Ellison or Sandburg, I'll hold the two of you personally responsible." Seeing the two men nod, Simon turned to Dr. Howard. "After you, Doctor."

Trailing behind the doctor, Simon kept part of his attention on the area around Jim and Blair's room. Scanning the hallway, he checked for anything suspicious. Finding nothing to be alarmed about, he followed Dr. Howard into the elevator.

Noting the Captain's behavior, Dr. Howard said, "You're still concerned about their safety, aren't you?" Receiving no response, he persisted, "I thought you trusted these officers to protect Detective Ellison and Mr. Sandburg." Reaching past Simon, he pressed the button for the lobby.

"I do," Simon responded as the elevator door shut. "But I also know that sometimes police protection isn't enough."

Eyes widening slightly at the somewhat cryptic response, Dr. Howard remained silent during the rest of their descent. Exiting the elevator, Dr. Howard said, "My office is right this way."

Following Dr. Howard, Simon nodded to himself as he took note of the officers standing guard at the entrance to the hospital. Coming to a halt as the other man stopped in front of an office, Simon waited for him to unlock the door.

Opening the door, Dr. Howard gestured for Simon to enter. "Have a seat, Captain," he said as he followed Simon into the room.

Sitting down, Simon watched as the doctor crossed the room and took a seat behind a desk. "I have to admit," Simon said, "I don't know how much help I'll be."

Chuckling, Dr. Howard said, "In my experience, Captain, usually it's best to just start at the beginning."

Seeing the lingering tension in the other man, Dr. Howard stated, "Just take your time, Captain."

"It all started two days ago," Simon began. "Wednesday morning Jim and Blair got to the station and I called them into my office. I had an... an assignment for them."

"Kinda," Simon answered. "You see, Doctor, there are a few things you should know about how Jim operates."

"Jim has always basically been a loner," Simon explained. "And although he's become a little bit better at working with the other detectives since Sandburg came along, he still prefers to handle most cases by himself." Frowning, Simon continued, "As a result, he and Sandburg have been forced to handle some very dangerous situations on their own. Having been a detective myself, I know that's unavoidable sometimes. But if it isn't a life-threatening situation then they should hold off until backup arrives."

"Detective Ellison doesn't strike me as a particularly patient person," Dr. Howard observed.

"No, he's not," Simon replied with a chuckle. "So I gave him this assignment hoping that it would help him develop some. And maybe teach him a lesson about the importance of asking for help."

When Simon fell silent once again, Dr. Howard said, "So you came up with a plan to hopefully accomplish this."

"Yeah," Simon answered. "I thought it was a good idea at the time, but now I'm not so sure. There is a very good possibility that whatever happened to Jim and Blair occurred because of this assignment." Leaning forward, Simon rested his head in his hands. "You see, lately the gang activity in Cascade has increased significantly. So the police department implemented a kind of scared straight program where detective go to local schools and talk to the kids about keeping out of gangs and staying in school. They needed more officers for the program, so I volunteered Jim."

"Pardon me, Captain," Dr. Howard interrupted, "but Detective Ellison doesn't seem like the type of person suitable for an assignment like this."

"Believe me, Doctor," Simon replied, "once you get to know him like I do, you'll see he's perfectly suited for something like this."

"Jim has a lot in common with most of these kids," Simon explained. "He likes to project this tough, strong, independent attitude. He hates to admit that he needs anybody. And let's just say that it takes a lot of work and time to earn his trust. But if you're lucky enough to get past that gruff exterior, you'll discover that Jim is one of the most loyal, decent, honest men you will ever meet."

After a few seconds, Simon continued, "I just figured that he might be able to get through to some of these kids." Grinning, he added, "And I thought he might be able to learn something from the experience too. Not to mention having a little bit more understanding toward me and how frustrated I become when trying to deal with him and his stubbornness."

"To make sure Jim actually did it," Simon answered. Chuckling softly when he saw the doctor's puzzled expression, he elaborated, "Let's just say that Sandburg has a way of talking Jim into just about anything."

"I see," Dr. Howard said. "But tell me, Captain, what makes you think that this assignment had something to do with what happened to them?"

"They were scheduled to meet with some high school students Wednesday afternoon, but they never showed up," Simon explained. "When they failed to arrive, the principal called the station and I went to the school myself to investigate. I arrived to find Jim's truck sitting in the parking lot, but there was no sign of Jim or Blair."

Taking off his glasses, Simon rubbed his eyes while he continued, "We exhausted every lead we could think of. Checked through all of Jim's past cases thinking that the kidnapping might have been revenge motivated, but didn't find any answers there. I even contacted a few people and had them look into Jim's military background. Didn't have any luck there either. So, I started to think it might have been gang related."

"There had been reports of talk on the streets," Simon answered. "Gang members were upset about the program, felt cops were messing with their recruitment. Some had even talked about some sort of retaliation. When none of our other leads panned out, I started to think that maybe the gangs had stopped talking and put their plans for retaliation into action."

"Yes," Simon stated. "If I hadn't given them that assignment then they wouldn't have been at the school. Which, it would appear, was the perfect place for someone to grab them. I mean up until the moment Jim and Blair were found, I had officers out canvassing the area surrounding the school. Two men were kidnapped in broad daylight, yet no one saw anything. Or at least, no one would admit to seeing anything."

Attempting to alleviate some of Simon's guilt, Dr. Howard reasoned, "But isn't it likely that the persons who kidnapped Detective Ellison and Mr. Sandburg would have taken them no matter where they were? I'm sure they don't hold you responsible for what happened. And you can't blame yourself either, Captain."

"Tell me something, Doctor," Simon requested with a smile. "Am I going to be getting a bill for this little session?"

"I'm sorry," Dr. Howard responded. "I don't understand. What do you mean by that?"

"Early this morning, we received an anonymous tip," Simon explained. "A man called 911, told the dispatcher where Jim and Blair could be found and then hung up. He didn't stay on the line long enough for a trace. We were all doubtful but, as Joel pointed out to everybody, it was the best lead we had so far. So I formed a team and we went to the address the caller gave. It was an abandoned field on the outskirts of town. When we got there..."

"Like I said before, take you time, Captain," Dr. Howard said. "I realize that this is very painful for you."

After taking a deep breath, Simon said, "I'm fine. When we arrived at the location, we found Jim and Blair just lying on the ground like they had been dumped there. Blair... God, I was afraid to even touch him. It seemed like his entire body was covered in bruises. And Jim... His wrists looked... The skin was just so torn and bloody. Neither of them was conscious. The paramedics did what they could, then loaded Jim and Blair into the ambulance." Falling silent for a few seconds, Simon then looked at the doctor and added, "I guess Dr. Jones told you the rest."

"Well he informed about the extent and nature of Mr. Sandburg's injuries," Dr. Howard replied. "He also told me that Detective Ellison remained unconscious until a little while ago. And that when he did finally come around he had no memory of who he is, his life or what happened."

"Yeah," Simon responded. "It really rattled me, Doctor. I consider Jim to be one of my closest friends and he didn't even recognize me. I just don't understand it. He doesn't remember anything except..."

Placing his elbows on his desk, Dr. Howard leaned forward to peer at Simon. "Tell me, Captain, what did Detective Ellison mean when he referred to Mr. Sandburg as his guide?"

"It really doesn't mean anything," Simon insisted. Seeing the doctor's doubtful expression, he added, "Look, some psycho named Brackett referred to Blair that way once. I don't know. Maybe these guys that grabbed them reminded Jim of Brackett." After hesitating for an instant, he concluded, "I guess Jim just latched on to the guide thing. I mean who knows what was going on in his head while he was watching those bastards torture Blair. So why don't we focus on getting them better instead on fixating on something insignificant like this guide thing."

"Somehow, Captain," Dr. Howard responded, "I believe that 'this guide thing', as you call it, is nowhere near as insignificant as your trying to make me believe."

"Pardon me," Dr. Howard said as he picked up the receiver. "Dr. Howard speaking," he stated. After listening to the caller for several long seconds, he hung up. Looking up at Simon, he said, "That was the charge nurse on Detective Ellison and Mr. Sandburg's floor. One of the officers told her to call."

"According to the nurse, they're both fine," Dr. Howard explained. "Apparently the nurse went in to draw some blood from Mr. Sandburg. Detective Ellison was rather opposed to the idea. He overpowered the officer and managed to grab his gun and is now using it to keep everyone away from his 'guide'."

"Oh shit," Simon uttered. Regaining his composure, he stated, "We better get down there before he shoots someone."

Looking over at the other man Simon saw him nod as he impatiently jabbed the elevator button. Entering the elevator as the doors opened, Simon answered, "He might if he thought they were a threat to Blair."

Frowning, Simon didn't bother to respond. After the elevator door opened, he pushed past the doctor and raced towards Jim and Blair's room. He had only managed a few steps before the sound of a gunshot froze him in place. Rocking forward as Dr. Howard crashed into his back, Simon barely felt the impact as he heard Blair cry out, "JIM!"