Work Text:
The Bruise
By PattRose
Summary: Some sees Blair changing at the station and sees a bruise and word gets around that Jim is beating him up. What will Jim do when he has to answer to anyone about just this?
Warnings: Angst
Genre: Slash, established relationship
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 1076
Notes: Prompt-a bruise and madness.
Sentinel Thursday Challenge: Madness #508
Blair helped Brown and Rafe with a bust while Jim was in court. It got messy and Blair's shirt was ripped in the take down. So, when Blair got back to the station, he went down to his locker and got a clean shirt out and took the ripped one off. While he was taking his shirt off, Carter from Vice walked in and said, "Hey Sandburg, how are you doing?"
"I'm doing good Carter, thanks for asking."
"I'll see you later," Carter called out as he left the locker room. Blair thought he was acting weird, but wasn't sure what that was about.
Blair went upstairs and started work on the paperwork that they needed to get done, while Rafe and Brown were fingerprinting the suspect. Blair thought it would help them out, plus he didn't have anything else to do right then and didn't want Simon yelling at him for malingering around.
A while later, Joel walked into the bullpen and said, "Blair, how are you today?"
"I'm just fine, Joel. How are you?"
Joel showed concern in his eyes and he continued. "You do know that you could come to me about anything, right?"
"Why? What would I come to you about, Joel?" Blair was so confused.
"I just wanted to be sure that you knew I was safe. I would never tell Jim if you wanted to talk to me."
Blair shook his head. Did he just hear what he thought he heard? What was going on? "Thanks, Joel, but everything is fine."
Rhonda walked over after Joel walked away and asked, "How are you, Blair?"
Now, Blair was getting freaked out. "I'm fine, why wouldn't I be fine, Rhonda?"
"Just making sure, Blair." She walked away looking somewhat nervous.
Simon opened up the door and yelled, "Sandburg, my office, right now."
Blair walked in expecting bad news about Jim or something but instead, Simon asked, "Are you okay?"
"What in the hell is going on today? You're like the fourth person to ask me if I'm okay. Of course, I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Stay calm, kid. I was just making sure," Simon assured him.
"Simon, just tell me what's going on?" Blair pleaded.
"Someone said that Jim has been beating you up." Simon stated.
Blair burst out laughing until it hit him, pissing him off and said, "This is total madness. What the hell is wrong with all of you? You all know Jim. He wouldn't hurt a hair on my head and he'd be so hurt if he thought you all believed he did."
"I'm just checking out what another officer said. We have to check it out. Are you bruised, Blair?" Simon asked.
"Probably. I went on a call with Brown and Rafe. I got tossed around quite a bit by a guy bigger than Jim. I might have bruise or two. Who said this, anyhow?"
"Detective Carter told his superior today and he called me to report it. He said he saw you without a shirt on in the locker room."
"I wish he would have asked me. I could have settled it right then and there."
"May I look at your back?" Simon wondered.
"Oh for god's sake. You're starting to piss me off. I just told you what happened, ask Rafe and Brown." Blair started to pace in the office while fuming.
"Fine, I'll write it up that you wouldn't show me," Simon said.
Blair pulled his shirt out of his jeans and lifted it up and said, "Happy?"
"There is a huge bruise, Blair."
"I know. I got thrown around by the ape we were arresting. It took both Brown and Rafe to get him off of me."
"Well, I guess I'll wait and see what they say." Simon stuck his unlit cigar into his mouth and began to chew. Blair knew this meant he was worried.
"Simon, Jim is going to die when he finds out that you all thought it was him. He's such a good man and would never hurt me." Blair stormed out of the office and went back to Joel's office.
He knocked and entered without waiting. "For your information, I got the crap beat out of me by an ape we were arresting. Please spread the word. If Jim hears that all of you thought it was me, he'll just die." Then Blair turned on his heel and left the office as quickly as he'd come in.
He then marched over to Rhonda and said the same thing, and wasn't even nice.
"At three o'clock, the elevator door opened and Jim came flying out of it. He rushed over to Blair and asked, "Are you all right?"
"Yes, I'm bruised up, but I'm going to be fine."
"Shit, everyone here thinks I did it to you." Jim hung his head and looked totally dejected.
"I told Simon it was madness to think that. They all lost their marbles is the only thing I can figure out. I'm sorry you had to hear the rumors."
Jim went to Simon's door and knocked. "Come in Jim."
"I heard what's going around. I hear you believed it, too. I'm not sure I can work for someone that believes I would hurt Blair."
"I had to check it out, Jim. I didn't know he had an altercation with a suspect. I haven't seen his report yet, so don't be yelling at me. I was doing my job."
"Whatever…" Jim stormed out of his office and stopped at Blair's desk. "I'm going to be at Brad's bar. Pick me up on the way home. I can't be here anymore today. I'll end up quitting."
"Go and relax, I'll pick you up. Take a cab now. Then I'll drive your truck over when I get done with my report. Relax man. I'm sorry, it got out of hand."
"The wrong one is sorry," Jim said as he walked off. He threw his keys at Blair and Blair caught them and knew this was going to be a long, long night.
The end