Rated: probably PG - R
Warnings: Blair angst galore, AU-land, this sure isn't Kansas (or Washington) anymore.

As tears flowed down her face more freely, Blair scrunched over in his bed, and gathered the not-mother into his arms. She leaned into him, her arms going around his neck, one hand holding for dear life at the back of his head, grasping at his hair. He breathed deeply of the costly fragrance coming up like a cloud from her hair, and nearly shivered.

Blair then felt her chin rest between his neck and shoulder, as she spoke, "Thank you for understanding. I have to apologize, I'm usually not this emotional."

His own voice was husky as he answered, "My mom almost never cries either, but when she does...oh, man...I'll do anything in my power to..."

He broke off as the knock came.

Joel stuck his head in, and rapped his knuckles on the inside of the door. "I'm sorry for the intrusion, but I've got some things for you, Bl...uh..."

Blair felt the warmth of the woman leave him, and saw her flick her fingers at the tracks of her tears, before she got off the bed. She patted his face, and said, "Swe..." and stopped, confused, she had nearly called this stranger her "sweetie". Oh, God, why was this happening? Who was he, where was *her* boy?

"I'm sorry, I'll leave you with Detective Taggart, and let you get cleaned up."

Blair looked up into her dewy eyes, and smiled. He smiled as if she were the only friend he had left on this god-forsaken world. "I will see you again...you won't leave...and not come back...I...I'd like to talk to you about some of the things you said, and think, well, I might be able to help in a search, get some ideas bouncing off J..." and then he stopped, remembering Jim the sadist, in this place.

Oh, God.

She patted his hand. "No, sweetie," and damm, Naomi, she told herself, he is so like my son, yet, a gentler Blair, before he and I joined the SNGRF. When his father was still alive...

"I'll see you again, very soon. Thank you."

She turned towards Joel and the door. Joel kept his eyes down, not meeting hers as she passed on through the door. He noticed Rafe stiffening up into his soldier boy act again, giving her a respectful salute as she passed him into the corridor. Joel watched as she stopped at Dr. Lash's office, changed her mind, continued on around the corner.

Joel crossed to the bed with his plastic bag of gifts. And grinned.

"I've been able to secure you some things you needed."

He plopped the bag where Naomi had sat, and pulled out a pair of plain white socks, a white tee shirt, boxers, and white jogging pants.

"I asked the nurse and she said you've been allowed to have a shower and shave. Yeah, and they'll provide toothpaste and a brush, all the accoutrements."

Blair gulped, "Thanks, man."

The door opened with no warning knock this time. Rafe preceded a male nurse pushing a wheelchair. The man kept his eyes on a speck on the wheelchair seat. Why won't they look at my face? But Rafe--Rafe idly caressed his gun in its holster, eyeing Blair, looking up at the ceiling. Strange. Did he see the blue, too?

"Can you get out of bed?" he asked, his faint accent gone in this strange world.

"Yeah, man, and I don't really need a wheelchair, just lead me to the bathroom, I can make it on my own." He shakily supported himself on one elbow as he raised his upper body. Didn't realize how hard this was gonna be, tremblin' like a kitten facin' a mean bulldog...

Joel saw the tremors, and the young man's knuckles turning white with his harsh hold of the mattress. Joel growled, "Bring that chair closer, you idiot."

He went to Blair, helped him sit up. He drew a hospital robe from the bottom of the bag, and let it settle around Blair, letting the young man ease his arms into the sleeves by himself, and modestly grasp the gaping edges of the front together. With an arm around his middle and the other holding onto his wrist, they stood. Joel smoothed down the folds of the cloth and helped tie it. Blair glanced up into the nice chocolate eyes, and gave him a forced smile.

"Ready now?"

When Blair nodded, Joel glared at the nurse who quickly helped Blair sit down in the wheelchair.

Rafe opened the door into the brightly lit hall. The brightness of it made Blair shade his eyes, and then...flowing rivers of blue escaped from under doorways, seeping into the patterns of the floor, ink gushed up from the water fountain a nurse's aid was using.

Interns and nurses careened around the corner with a patient in a gurney. Joel stepped in front of Blair, but as they passed, he managed to see the liquid in the I.V. was blue, dripping blue.

Would the shower cascade him with blue? What did it mean? Am in just living a nightmare...somehow...or...oh God, where's Jim? Why doesn't he come?