Part Nine

Jimmy drove through the night, until he was forced to stop of fall asleep at the wheel. Fear drove him long past when he should have stopped anyway. The others were sleeping soundly, Stevie from the painkillers the doctor had given him for his arm and Blair from sheer physical exhaustion. He had still said little but he'd smiled beautifully when they had returned and taken Stevie into his arms to comfort the little boy.

Jimmy had been pleased at the response of his little brother to his new brother. Already he had decided that Blair was his brother in everything but blood and even that no one would know from now on. He had already decided that he would have to leave the country. He'd killed his father and soon the police would track him down. With little options he would have to find some way to make sure Blair and Stevie were safe. He had ideas and when they woke, he would tell the others.

When Stevie had fallen asleep hours ago, Blair had asked about his plans. He hadn't been sure then.

Jim pulled into the truck stop. He pulled in behind a couple of large trucks where he wouldn't be seen easily from the highway. Lying awkwardly in the front seat, he slept.

~*~*~*~

It was only a few hours later when the sounds of trucks starting their engines woke the young man. Stretching to remove the kinks from his body, he opened the truck door and went inside the small restaurant. He ordered coffee for two, juice for Stevie and three orders of pancakes with sausage, bacon, eggs and syrup.

While they were preparing his order he used the bathroom, returning only a few minutes later, cleaner and more refreshed. When he returned to the truck, he found his brothers just waking.

"Breakfast." He grinned as he passed out the food and drinks. He had to cut Stevie's pancakes into smaller bits so the boy could eat but all three were starved and it didn't take long for the food to vanish, even with a casted arm creating a hindrance.

After Blair and Stevie had used the facilities, they were on the road again. Blair got Stevie into a game of watching trucks and counting license plates for points which kept the younger boy from fretting to much about where they were going and what had happened the day before.

"Jimmy, can Blair stay with us?" Stevie asked, surprising both older boys.

"Why don't you ask him, Squirt." Jim grinned in the rearview mirror at Blair at the remembrance of their conversation the night before.

"Will you be my brother? And Jimmy's too 'course." Stevie asked shyly as his big brown eyes stared into bright blue ones.

"You betcha, Kiddo. We'll be a family together, k?"

"'kay." Stevie grinned and went back to watching for trucks. When Stevie was absorbed with his game, Blair scrambled over the seat to sit next to Jim.

"What are we going to do, Jimmy?" The voice was a scared little boy's voice and it brought out all the protective instincts in the young man.

"We are going to Cascade. You will go to school, take care of Stevie. I'm going to get a job with the army. That way I can provide for you and Stevie."

"The army. Jimmy, what if they send you away?"

"I am hoping they will. Blair, I killed my father."

"You did that in self-defence, surely they won't hold that against you."

"I can't take that chance. You and Stevie are the most important people in my life. I have to protect you. I have to do this." Jimmy glanced over at the newest member of his family. "Oh, and Blair?"

"Yeah."

"Whatever people think, you are part of this family. You are our brother if you want it. No one has to know. I was thinking that Stevie and I should change our names. I mean if the cops are looking for us, I don't want to make it too easy. I was thinking of Ellison. It was my mom's name."

"Can I change my name, too. I mean if I am still Blair Sandburg it will be obvious."

"You want to take Ellison?" Jimmy was stunned by the admission, though the thought behind it was sound.

"If I can really be your brother, yeah I want to be an Ellison, just like you. You have nothing to be ashamed of, Jimmy. Nothing. Your father was a monster, like Mike. You did what you had to."

"Yeah, I did. I had to protect you and Stevie."

"Yeah, you did, Jimmy."

"Jim." Jimmy interrupted. "It's just Jim now. Jim Ellison!"

"Jim. Sounds grown up."

~*~*~*~

The trip across country continued in much the same manner for three days. Finally they pulled into a rest area just outside Cascade city limits. From their vantage point they could see the city, nestled soundly against the backdrop of the pacific ocean.

Something about the city brought peace to Jim and to Blair. They stood shoulder to shoulder with Stevie just slightly ahead of them, arms wrapped around the child. Nothing was spoken but the emotions felt by each were shared within the embrace.

"Home?" Stevie whispered, reflecting the sentiment felt by all.

"Yes, Stevie. Home."

~*~*~*~

The trio sat around the picnic table, remains of their meal removed. A small book and an envelope sat in the middle of the table.

"Okay we have to decide a few things. Stevie, I need you to understand what happens now."

"We going to live here now, Jimmy?"

"Yes. But I have to get a job and Blair is going to go to school. We have to find you a school too. Do you want to go to school or do you want a babysitter?"

"I not a baby no more." Stevie argued. "I wanna go to school with Blair."

Blair laughed lightly. "Maybe in a few years, Kiddo. You aren't old enough yet. You have to be at least sixteen."

"Are you sixteen?"

"In a couple of weeks yep."

"When'll I be sixteen, Jimmy?"

"In a couple of years."

"'kay. When I's sixteen I go to school with Blair. Now, I go to school and paint and make numbers?"

"You bet." Jim responded. He ruffled Stevie's hair and the youngster grinned delightedly. Jim pulled the envelope towards himself as he opened it. Inside was the money he had taken from his father's safe. Quickly he counted it.

"Shit."

"What?" Blair asked.

"There is over twenty thousand bucks here."

"We'll need it I guess. We have to get a place to live and pay for Stevie's school. My scholarship will pay for some but not all."

"Yeah, at least we don't have to worry about that. We can find a small place, share a couple of rooms. Get cheap rent. At least until I am working and can send you more."

"I hope so. There so much we have to figure out, Jim. How are we going to do all this?"

"We'll face things when we need to. We just have to find the right school for Stevie."

"A painting school, Jimmy."

"If we can, Stevie. If we can." Jim ruffled Dstevies short blond hair and with a grin helped him pack his garbage up to throw away. Blair was a little slower, a little more unsure. Jim glanced back and with a smile encouraged Blair to accept the future, one that would include all of them, no matter what the short term brought.

Blair returned the smile, the warmth of his friend's assurance filled him and he nodded his understanding. Jim grinned wider and the trio moved towards their future.

Decisions were made and resolve strengthened as the three repacked the truck and headed into Cascade.

END