The True Meaning Of Valentine's Day

Blair noticed it about the middle of January.  It corresponded with the end of the white sales and the beginning of the Valentine's Day hype.   It wasn't so much a negative reaction to Hallmark hysteria as it was a wistful longing.  Jim Ellison was in love with someone.

Blair panicked.  Who was the little bitch who had Jim clenching his jaw when someone in the bullpen mentioned the cost of long stem roses this year?  Would this be the one who finally took Jim away from Blair?

That was a laugh.  Blair didn't have Jim.  He had a spare room in Jim's loft.  Perhaps it was time he faced facts.  Jim was never going to suddenly wake up and realize that Blair was "The One."   Only a few more hours until Valentine's Day was over and the next Hallmark Holiday hype could begin.

"Where's Ellison?"  Simon asked.

"Took the morning off.  He said he had errands to run.  He should be in soon, though.  What do you need, Simon?"

"I need the Danvers report."

"Not a problem."  Blair pulled the report from stack he'd just finished.

"Are you still doing Jim's paperwork?"

"No greater love have any man than he lay down his life to protect another from paperwork."

"If I could find someone who did my paperwork as well as you do Jim's, I'd marry them."

"Sorry, Simon.  My heart belongs to Jim," Blair declared theatrically.

"Are you trying to steal my partner, Simon?"  Jim's voice piped up from the bullpen entrance.

"I think you've got a clear claim on him, Ellison," Simon teased.

"Did you take care of your errands?"  Blair asked.

"Your keys.  The Volvo is safe and sound."

"You lent Jim the Volvo?"  Simon laughed.  "Now that is true love -- trusting Jim with your car."

"Just don't tell my insurance agent," Blair glossed over Simon's intuitive remark.  He missed the look in Jim's eyes as he turned back to the paperwork he was busy doing *for Jim*.    The rest of  Valentine's Day was lost to mundane police work.

"I know that you are having a wonderful day clearing up all our outstanding paperwork, Chief, but it's time to go home. " Jim nudged Blair hours later.

"Huh?"   Blair looked up from some arcane form Jim had never been able to figure out but that Blair always seemed to file perfectly.

"Home?  Dinner?"

Blair shut down his computer and grabbed his coat.  He followed Jim out of the bullpen into the elevator.

"Don't want to cook."

"Take out?  I'll treat.  What would you like?"

"I want the Seven Wonders of the World Special with a large Curly Fries and a Monster Cola."

Jim did a double take.  That was his own favorite Wonderburger meal.

"Who are you and where did you take my Blair?"

"Your Blair?"  Blair questioned Jim's ownership.

"My Blair doesn't eat greasy triple cheese burgers with bacon.  He gives me lectures about my arteries while he munches on rabbit food," Jim continued blithely on.

"Well, your Blair isn't in the mood tonight."

"I hope it's only lectures you're not in the mood for."  Jim grinned and threw an arm around Blair's shoulders.

The elevator opened at the garage level and they walked toward the Volvo.  Blair stopped in his tracks.  The car had four new tires and it had obviously been professionally detailed.

"What did you do to my car?"

"Complete full service oil change, belts and hoses,  tune up, new tires and detailing.  Happy Valentine's Day."

Blair's eyes grew suspiciously moist.  "How about we skip Wonderburger and just go home to bed?"  He asked.

"That's another thing I wanted to discuss.  I've got this big bed..."

February 13, 2002