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Blair looked at the three empty beer bottles that sat on the table before him. He wanted to get ripping drunk and was on his way there. He was starting to get the munchies however. The waitress stopped by his table and asked how he was doing.
"One more," he picked up an empty bottle, "And an order of wings, extra ranch."
"Sure thing Hun," she picked up the empty bottles, leaving the table clear and walked towards the bar.
With a heavy sigh, Blair looked around him. Over the years of hanging out with Jim and the others from Major Crime, the bar had become their unofficial, official hangout.
"There you are," he heard behind him. Turning he saw Meagan making her way to his booth. "Sandy, you know that Jim has an all points out on you?"
"Well you found me, so be nice and tell him I'm alive and I'll be home when I'm ready to go home."
Sitting down opposite him in the booth, Meagan tsk'ed at him. "Sandy what happened? I mean you don't normally do things like this."
"Normal? What's normal?" Blair asked. "I needed some down time. We needed a break from each other. So I left the loft for the evening."
"You left the loft, without your keys. How did get here?" Hearing from Jim, stating that Blair didn't have any keys on him made the search a bit harder than trying to find his Volvo.
"Bus." Blair answered.
The waitress returned with his beer and wings with chips. "Here you go." She looked at Meagan, "Can I get you anything:?"
"Cherry Sprite," Meagan ordered. "Looks like I'm driving."
The waitress smiled. She had been worried about the young man after he ordered his third beer. It was good to see someone come. "Sure thing."
Meagan looked at Blair and couldn't understand what was happening.
"Jim called around looking for you."
"Well I needed some time alone. It's not like we have any of that anymore. You know, A – lone time."
"Blair, this isn't like you."
"What is like me?" Blair asked. "I mean, I'm a cop now. I've learned to carry a gun. I have a 45 at the small of my back and a backup .38 on my ankle. But I can take out a perp with a baseball or even a bat. I remember days of only my Swiss army knife could get me out of a jam."
"Just because you had a bad day…"
"Bad day? Come on Megs, life has been off kilter for months now."
"What happened tonight?" she asked quietly. Seeing that her friend had to vent to get through what was going on his mind.
Blair took a drag on his beer. "Alex Barnes."
Meagan shook her head. The waitress put down her drink and walked away. Meagan wished she had something stronger.
"Jack called."
"Jack who?"
"Kelso, he's a friend mine, he has ties," Blair put his fingers up like quotes. "He's been watching Alex me."
"And?"
"Jim wasn't happy that I was having Jack keeps tabs on her."
"So what is going on with her?"
"She's being moved to another psyche ward. She's still comatose, but they are down grading her from the security ward."
"Damn," said Meagan.
"Exactly." Blair took a bite of a wing. "So with that, Jim was pissed royally. And here we were supposed to go to the Jags game, had two center seats at the Jag's stadium but we were so pissed at each other. I decided I needed to take a chill."
"Jim called the bull pen asking if any of us had heard from you."
Blair laughed. "And that's another thing." Blair picked up the next wing. "I'm limited to where I can go. I don't have Rainer or Hardgrove Hall to run to anymore. I haven't dated in like a year, so my only friends are those of Major Crime. My life has come to a standstill, and it all started because of her."
"But you did a lot of this for Jim," Meagan told him.
"I did, and look what I have. Naomi hasn't called back to my messages since she left when Simon gave the offer of the badge." Blair gave a small laugh. "She wouldn't know what sacrifice is even if she was the one strung out on an alter."
"Blair!" Meagan exclaimed.
"What? She wouldn't." Blair looked at her. "I did this for Jim, to help him with his senses. Alex almost took me away. Jim was the one who brought me back. Then I screwed up with the dissertation. But I'm still by his side.
"I have to keep an eye on Alex. She's a danger to me and to Jim." Blair took the beer bottle and took a drink.
"And another thing," Blair continued. "Jim still doesn't trust me. I'm his partner but on some level he's not fully trusting me. I don't know what else to do. I don't think I can fall on the sword again if you know what I mean.
"And the guilt, Jim still feels guilty, about the dissertation, me being a cop, me dying after throwing me out of the loft. But I've moved on. Get over it."
Blair sat back and looked at Meagan. "But there is more."
Meagan nodded.
"Jim gave me something I never had before."
"Which is?"
"A home." Blair sat forward. "I've never stayed longer than eight months somewhere. I've been at the loft for five years. I've never done that before."
Meagan saw Jim enter the bar. "Why is that Blair?" she asked.
Blair had to confess to someone. "I love him," Blair announced.
"That's good is in it?"
Blair shrugged. "I don't know. I really don't." Blair took hold of the bottle again. "Have the force think we are. I've had bi tendencies. But I doubt Jim would look that way. What with his pec filled body. Can you see him really taking an interest in a short Jewish boy?"
"I don't know Blair, you've made more than one person either female or male take a look at you. I know of several men who've taken a second look at you and then take one look at you with Jim and turn tail and run."
"You're joking?" Blair asked.
"No. Jim's made it clear on who's property you are."
"Well I'm like the last to know," Blair said.
"That's a first," Jim said sitting down in the booth next to Blair. "I never thought you'd be the last to know."
"Know what?"
"That I like you, well, like is a mild word." Jim reached for a wing and swept it into the ranch dressing then taking a bite. "It's more like love."
"Love?" Blair asked.
"Yes, love." Jim heard Meagan giggle from across the booth.
"I think the beer has done something to his brain."
Blair shook his head. "Did he say he loved me?"
"I think he did," Meagan replied.
"Oh," Blair said then continued, "Cool." He looked at Jim. "Sorry for leaving."
"I understand Chief. I'm not happy about the circumstances, but you did what you thought was right, and it's good. We'll have to get a better track on her. But enough on her for now. I think it's time to pay your tab and get you home. I see a hangover coming for tomorrow."
"Sorry about the game," Blair said.
"There'll be others."
Jim pulled out his wallet and pulled out two bills and put them on the table. "Come on Chief, home."