TITLE: Happy Birthday, Jimmy

AUTHOR: Stormwolf Dawn

RATINGS: Rated PG-13

WARNINGS: Violence, bad language

SUMMARY: Six days before his birthday an accident changes Jim's life

NOTE: Lots of smarm and angst. Another post in parts series. I'll post a part on my days off like I do with the other stories. My days off are usually four to five days apart. Sorry, but RL keeps me busy on my work days.

Feedback, both private and public, are welcome.

Happy Birthday, Jimmy

by Stormwolf Dawn

Outside the Hotel 6, Jim Ellison and Blair Sandburg sat quietly in Jim's truck watching for any sign of their suspect. The sun was beginning to rise, and it would be time for Rafe and H to come and take their turn at the stakeout.

Blair yawned, hand coming up to cover his mouth. Suddenly, Jim sat up straighter.

"He's here. Call for backup, Chief. That asshole isn't getting away."

Supposedly the man they were after had kidnapped, raped and killed three girls all under sixteen years of age. Jim had been investigating the cases for several months now, and the suspect's identity had been revealed by a partial print left on one of the bodies. The man had made a mistake that was now going to get him caught.

Jim stepped out of the truck as Blair speed dialed Simon for back-up. The sentinel removed his gun from the holster at the small of his back, then looking both ways to be sure no traffic was coming, Jim crossed the street and went toward the motel. Blair, of course, finished his call, the back up on the way, then stepped out of the truck and followed after Jim.

On the second floor in front of 203, the suspect was unlocking the door, when Jim from his position on the stairs yelled, "Freeze, Cascade PD."

The man threw the keys in Jim's direction, and ran. Jim cursed under his breath and went after the guy. He tackled the man to the ground. The suspect kicked Jim's leg, and wrestled his way out from beneath the detective. The two wrestled, and the suspect managed to get in a lucky kick to Jim's groin. Jim dialed down the pain, and grabbed the suspect who had been about to turn and run. The wrestled, and the suspect lost his balance. He fell against the balcony's railing with Jim falling against him. The defective railing gave way, and both the suspect and the detective fell to the asphalt below.

Blair had made his way to the top of the stairs in time to see the vicious kick to Jim's groin. He watched them fight, and looked around for some way to help his sentinel. He saw a fire extinguisher and went for it. It was then he heard the cry, and turned to see Jim and the suspect fall.

"OH GOD, JIM!!!" Blair screamed as the sirens of the back-up reached his ears.

(Because I was threatened with serious bodily injury, I have decided in my infinite wisdom to continue this story. I'm laying it on thick aren't I? LOL) (AUTHOR"S NOTE: I am not a doctor nor do I play one on TV, so Robin and all you other medical specialist don't laugh because I get stuff wrong. Okay, you can laugh, but I don't wanna hear about it. Thanks. LOL )

Blair Sandburg sat slumped in the chair, his attention focused solely on the figure lying in the hospital bed some three feet from his position.

Jim had survived the fall that had killed the suspect. The doctors had been amazed that Jim's spinal cord was intact, and that the sentinel had survived at all.

Blair looked at his friend. It had been three days since the fall, three days of a coma caused by swelling in the brain. Three days of worry and waiting, of wondering if brain damage had severely crippled his friend. The doctors had said that the brain waves looked promising, but they couldn't be sure of brain damage until or if Jim woke up.

He took in Jim's bandaged head, the pale face, the casted left leg, the casted left arm, the multitude of bruises and quivered inside.

Something made Blair Sandburg go to his friend and grip the sentinel's right hand. Perhaps his spirit guide had told him, perhaps Incacha, no matter. For when Blair touched his friend, the beautiful blue eyes opened and focused on the long haired anthropologist, and Blair felt fear clutch his heart when he saw the blank confusion in those baby blues.

"W--where...W--who?" Jim asked in confusion. Blair felt like crying. *Amnesia.* Was his first thought.

Then Jim began to cry and said in a voice full of fear, "I want my mommy."

Blair felt as if someone had run up on him and hit him across the back of his head with a two by four.

Blair tried very hard not to pace in the hallway outside Jim's room while the doctor examined Jim. Leaning against the wall watching the anthropologist march up and down the hallway four paces each way, Simon Banks desperately wished for a cigar, and for that damn doctor to come out and relieve their fears. ,p>As if Simon's thoughts had conjured him, the doctor, a small bald man with light brown eyes hidden behind light weight wired glasses, stepped out into the hall.

"What wrong with him?" Blair asked getting straight to business.

"It appears that either the blow itself, or perhaps the swelling has caused a form of age regression. This happens, rarely, with blows to the head, and will usually alleviate itself at some point. However, if its the swelling that's caused this, or damage to the brain hidden by the swelling, then its possible that the regression could be permanent. We will continue the medication to relieve the swelling, and hope that if its the cause that as soon as the swelling is down then the age regression will be gone."

"What's the worst case scenario, Doctor?" Simon asked.

"That the age regression is caused by brain damage. If that is the case then Mr. Ellison's age regression will be permanent."

"Can we go see him?" Blair asked.

"I saw on his records Mr. Sandburg that you are listed as his next of kin. Do you know how to get a hold of his parents?"

"They are both dead. He has a brother, but I don't know where he's at." Blair answered. "But I am Jim's legal guardian. He had the paperwork changed from Carolyn to me as legal guardian about six months ago."

"Well, Mr. Sandburg, from my talk with Jimmy, I have discovered that his age is around eight years old. He's very scared, but seems to understand that he is in a hospital. Believe he said something about a bout of pneumonia when he was five and having been the hospital then as well. I can recommend a good long term care facility that his insurance should take care of."

"No." Sandburg said adamantly. "I will take care of him myself. He will not be going to any facility, and that is final."

The doctor nodded. "Alright. I need to do my rounds. You can go back in, but Mr. Sandburg don't feel bad if he doesn't recognize you."

Sandburg nodded, then with a deep cleansing breath to steal himself for what was coming, Blair walked into the room.

Blair walked into the room. Jim was awake and looking at him with a bit of fear and suspicion in his eyes.

Blair smiled, "Hi." He said in a happy tone.

Apparently it was infectious, because Jim smiled back tentatively,

"Hi." Jim said.

"My name is Blair." He introduced himself.

"I'm Jimmy." Jim said, "Do you work here?"

"Actually, no. I'm an anthropologist."

"Anthro what?"

"Anthropologist." Blair repeated slower, "I study people who used to live a long time ago."

"Oh. Whatcha ya doing here?"

"Well Jimmy, I'm a friend of your dad's. He sent me here to help you." Blair obfuscated. He hated lying to Jim, but he couldn't very well tell Jim his parents were dead.

"I don't know, my momma told me never to talk to strangers." Jim said.

"True. And that's really good advice. But you see your parents are in Europe, and they asked me to take care of you until they got back." Or until you grow up, hopefully, Blair thought.

"Oh." Jim seemed not a bit surprised about his parents supposedly being in Europe. "What about Sally?"

"Her sister got sick, and she had to go take care of her." Blair was getting really good at this 'lying to Jim for his own good', but he was really starting to hate it.

"Where's Stevie?" Jim asked, "I have to take care of him."

"He went with your parents."

Jim seemed to understand that. "What happened to me? I don't remember."

"You fell down the stairs." Now I'm starting to sound like an abusive parent making up stories.

Jim quit asking questions, and Blair was grateful for that. Instead Blair and Jimmy talked about sports, books, and school.

Blair was only able to stay an hour. Jim was starting to get sleepy and Blair was grateful for the reprieve. He didn't know how to deal with an eight year old Jim. The lies had left him feeling sick, and the fear that Jim would be like that forever was gnawing at his gut.

The doctor said that Blair would be able to take Jim home in four days. Blair had four days to get ready to take care of a 200+ pound grown man with the mind of an eight year old boy.

I'm definitely going to have to move Jim's room downstairs. He won't be able to go up and down those stairs with his leg. In fact Jim would be confined to his bed for quite awhile. The guys will no doubt help me move the furniture and switch rooms with Jim. Maybe we'll even paint the room. Blair thought as he drove back to the loft. Toys! Oh God, he'll need toys, games, maybe some books to keep him occupied. He's going to hate being stuck in bed. Blair was having a hard time picturing Jim playing with toys, and reading third grade level books. He definitely couldn't imagine Jim as eight years old for the rest of his life. Oh God, please. If you really exist, don't let this be permanent. He prayed desperately.

END PART 4