Title: Dog Days of Summer

Author: Black_Wingedbird

Rating: G

Blair stepped onto the pale, gritty sidewalk of Rainier University and was hit with a wave of heat and blinding afternoon sun. It was tempting to turn around and again take refuge in the cool building, but he was sure that summer's heat only seemed worse now because he had spent all morning acclimating to the manmade climate of 73 degrees.

Blair sighed and pulled his full backpack higher on his shoulder as he started walking down the sidewalk. He could feel the heat penetrating his clothes, driving away any of the air conditioning that still resided there. He walked purposely towards Jim's truck, parked in it's usual spot at the front of the parking lot in the space that had come to be known as 'that cop's space'. Jim sat in the driver's seat with his elbow resting on the door and Blair gave way to a small groan of disappointment when he remembered the truck's air conditioning was shot. As he drew nearer to the parked truck, his clothes got heavier and his skin pushed forth more perspiration in protest of his movements. He was sure if he concentrated, he could see a mirage. It was that hot.

"Hey Chief, hot enough for ya?"

Blair was so tired of hearing that comment that he couldn't even muster the humor to make a sarcastic reply. "Yeah," he panted, settling for the truth.

"I've got an appointment with the shop tomorrow so they can fix the air in here," Jim explained as Blair grabbed the hot door handle and pulled it open quickly. "I think that's how they make their money in the summer."

"Hey, at least your air is all you have to worry about," Blair said as he shook the burn out of his hand and climbed into the cab. "Air conditioning is the least of my worries. I just want a car that runs." He flinched as the seat's leather burned through his jeans.

Jim snorted. "I hear that," he replied, starting the engine as Blair shut the door. "But right now, I just want to get home and into the air conditioning. This heat is horrible. I heard it might have broken the record."

Blair kicked his backpack out from under his feet and remembered the favor he told a student he could help with. "Uh, Jim, can we stop somewhere first and pick something up?"

"It's not too far away is it?" Jim asked as he pulled the truck onto the main road, his arm still balancing on the door.

"Not too far," Blair replied, placing his arm on the door also. The strong breeze felt good as they drove.

"What are we picking up, some mummified tribal head or something?"

Blair sighed good-naturedly. "No, actually it's more like a who."

"Who?"

"Yeah."

"So who are we picking up?"

"Max." Blair hoped Jim would attribute his accelerating heart rate to the heat because this was going to be one big obfuscation.

"Who's Max?"

Blair already planned this conversation down to a T. After all, nobody knew a sentinel better than his guide. "He's Tina's two year old."

Jim smiled. "Babysitting, Sandburg? She must be really special."

"She's a student, Jim. I'm doing this as a friend, because it's nice to have people you can count on to help you out. You can understand that, right?" Blair pulled the rubber band off his wrist and gathered his hair, feeling the dampness at the base of his neck. The feeling once the hair was off his neck gave him goosebumps.

"Hey now, no need to get all defensive," Jim teased. "So where is little Max?"

"He's at the new day care that opened up on Lightburne." Jim put on his thinking face and Blair clarified, "By that pizza place you like so much..."

"Gotcha," Jim said as he came to a stop at a redlight. "What do plan on doing with Max until his mother picks him up?"

"He's two Jim, I'll play with him." That wasn't a lie.

"I think sometimes you're too nice, Sandburg," Jim grunted as he accelerated, sending a pleasant breeze through the truck once again. "You'll make some lucky lady a very nice husband one day."

"Yeah," he swallowed, looking out the window. "Thanks. You too."

"Gee, thanks Sandburg. Remind me not to let you write any speeches for my wedding."

Why was Lightburne so far away? Blair squirmed on the seat but only caused further burning to his butt and legs. Punishment, he supposed.

After a few more minutes of comfortable silence, Jim turned onto the street scented with hand-made pizza. "You know, while we're here..." Jim hinted.

"Sounds good. Let's get Max first though,"Blair urged, bracing himself for the moment Jim noticed the building and put two and two together.

Jim was searching the buildings on the left side of the street while audibly navigating. "So where is it Chief? I see Blockbuster, a laundry mat, a... Pawsitive Beginnings? What's... dog day care? Who the hell would put their dog in-"

Blair winced.

"Uh, Sandburg, Max wouldn't happen to have four legs and a tail, would he?"

"Oh come on Jim, I-"

"Max is a dog? A dog that goes to dog day care? Gee, does he sit at the table and eat off plates too?"

"Jim, it's not like that, pet care has revolutionized so much-"

"So I suppose it will have to sit up front too."

"I don't want him to fall out of the back..."

"If it breathes on me, I swear... and I don't want to see a giant, Sandburg-sized hairball left behind either."

"Okay."

"Okay."

"You coming?" Blair put his hand on the door handle as Jim put the truck in park and turned off the engine.

Blair imagined Jim was weighing his options; either sitting in the sticky, deathly hot truck or risk being seen picking up a dog from 'day care'. "I'm coming," he sighed at last.

Blair smiled. "Thanks Jim," he said sincerely. Jim rolled his eyes and got out of the truck.

Blair followed suit and the two men crossed the street. Blair felt a drop of sweat slide down his back and more threaten to fall from his temples. He grasped the door handle and pulled, causing an overhead bell to chime their entrance. The sound of barking dogs greeted them, but it was shoved to the background at the immense relief of finally being in the air conditioning again.

"Hello there," greeted a young woman behind the front desk. "How can I help you?"

Blair noted the paw print design that had been painted on almost every surface of the room. "I'm here to get a dog," he stated. A second young lady with a pony tail smiled at him as she walked through a door, then closed it behind her. A round of barking began again.

"Who are you here to pick up?" the woman asked, her eyes moving from Blair to Jim and back again. Blair thought she looked a little weary, then realized that perhaps there weren't that many men who set foot in this place.

"Uh, Max Hazlett. I'm Blair Sandburg," Blair replied, then watched her movements as she began typing on a computer that sat behind the desk's tall counter. He turned to Jim, who looked like he was in pain, and Blair realized that he probably was. The unseen dogs hadn't really stopped barking since they walked in. Blair put a hand to his mouth and murmured under his breath, "Turn down the dial, man. And keep it down."

Jim smiled slightly before the woman began speaking. "Oh yes, Mrs. Hazlett called earlier with instructions for us to release Max over to you today. If you would like to step into our pickup room, I'll have someone bring Max up to you."

Blair smiled his thanks and caught himself looking for a ring on her long fingers. He didn't see any and filed that information away in his head as he turned to walk through the door that the woman with the pony tail had just gone through. Blair had a feeling things were probably going to get louder now that they were closer to the dogs and he paused so Jim could walk beside him.

"Thanks for reminding me why we don't have a dog," Jim muttered as they stepped into the small, painted room.

Blair noticed the large picture window and asked, "Come on, one dog wouldn't upset your senses so bad."

"I can smell more cleaning solution here than I can at the hospital. Not to mention the overwhelming smell of... dog."

Blair stepped up to the picture window and studied the scene before him. On the other side of the glass was a large room, painted with happy cartoon dogs running across the walls. But this room was full of real dogs as well. Blair tried to count them but when he realized he had counted the same black lab twice, he gave up. The room must have been at least the size of the bullpen and contained a number of Little Tyke's playground equipment. Oddly enough, Blair thought, there were actually dogs playing on it. Tennis balls and rope bones littered the floor. ID tags jangled as a Sheepdog and a mutt ran by. Two German Shepherds were laying on their sides in the corner, whining as they playfully chewed on each other. An Irish Setter jumped over a smaller dog while in pursuit of the black Lab. And the dogs were all getting along.

"Jim, look at this," Blair urged, motioning for Jim to look through the window. "Who would have thought that all the dogs could be in the same room together? I mean look, they are having so much fun. They're getting exercise, they're playing with other dogs and people..." Blair paused as he watched the young lady with the pony tail step into the room, which caused all the dogs to halt their activities and charge her. Collectively, the pack jumped on her for attention and the girl stumbled back a few steps. After regaining her balance and ordering "Off!", she selected a young Golden Retriever to take out of the room with her. Once the girl and dog were gone, the remaining dogs resumed their play.

"Yeah Chief, it's amazing," Jim replied as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I never knew dogs could make so much noise."

The door opened and an excited Golden Retriever bounded into the room, dragging the girl behind him. With a tired but happy smile, she said, "Here ya go. Max had fun today. He should be wore out for ya."

"Thanks," Blair said as he took the leash from her outstretched hand. He looked at the dog, who was pulling towards the exit with it's tongue lolling while panting heavily. "All right Max," he said, because he felt he should say something to the dog, like you were expected to in this building. "Let"s go home bud."

Jim opened the door with an expression as eager as Max's and Blair found himself being lurched through the air towards the front desk. "Max!" he yelled in shock while briefly wondering if his shoulder had been dislocated.

"Oh I'm sorry," said the woman behind the counter. "Max always gets a treat before he goes, do you have a moment?"

Jim rolled his eyes and moved closer to the glass exit door. Blair studied the dog, who was trying to climb over the counter upon recognition of the word 'treat'. "Uh, sure, go ahead," he replied, rubbing his abused shoulder. How did Tina, his tiny female student, put up with this young, 60 pound ball of hyperactive dog meat?

The woman came back into view and leaned over the counter to hand Max a dog biscuit. It was gone with a quick snap of the jaws and Blair wondered if the dog even tasted it. Max's tongue, now with treat crumbs stuck to it, returned to hang between the lower canine teeth as he resumed his rapid panting. Jim opened the door and Blair barely had time to wrap the leash around his hand as Max bolted. "Thanks," Blair yelled over his shoulder as he and his 'draft horse' shot outside.

Blair heard someone yell 'Slow down!', but he wasn't sure if it was himself or Jim who yelled it. The dog pulled Blair across the quiet street and into the parking lot, then stopped, as if thoroughly confused that 'his' car wasn't there. Blair stumbled to a stop beside the dog, panting slightly from the exertion in the high temperatures. He turned to see Jim only a few paces behind.

"It's unlocked," Jim said as he joined Blair at the front of the truck. "You better keep that animal on your lap for the ride home," he warned with a playful evil eye.

Blair grabbed the door handle before he realized how hot it was. "Ow! I was planning on it," he replied as he opened the door. The dog leaped in before him and sat in the middle of the bench seat, looking to Blair expectantly. "Good dog," Blair said. He was a little impressed.

Jim and Blair climbed in their respective seats in unison and Blair looked around the panting dog at his taller friend as the truck started. "You okay? Got a headache?"

"I'll live."

"Sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Let's just go home and order some delivery. I don't think I can take this heat much longer."

Blair noticed the tired sound in Jim's voice and the dog must have too, for it chose that moment to turn and lick Jim's ear with it's dripping tongue. Blair laughed. "Look Jim, he loves you!"

Jim squinted at the road and wiped the thick slime from his ear and cheek. "We are definitely not getting a dog."

"Oh come on Jim, not even a little one? A Jack Russell?"

"No."

"A Dachshund?"

"No."

"What about a Cairn Terrier?"

"No."

Blair put an arm around Max. "Sorry boy, Jim's more of a cat person..."

End

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