Part Five: Holidaze and Purple Haze



"NAOMI?!" Ellison blurted, suddenly finding himself in a sprawling - yet somehow COZY - kitchen. The smells of all the fare being prepared all but overwhelmed him, and yet he couldn't help but feel, well, cheered by it.

"Actually, no," Naomi Sandburg smiled as she set down a mixing bowl and adjusted her apron. "I'm the Ghost of Christmas Present. See? Says so right on the apron."

"Right, I just SEE Naomi."

"You're catching on fast!" Naomi cheered. "Good boy! Have a cookie!"

"I don't want a cookie."

"Oh come on, they're nice and fresh from the oven."

"I said I don't want a cookie..."

"What's the matter? Think I'll poison you or something?"

"Look, I know why you're here, so let's just get this over with already, okay?"

"Okay, okay," Naomi sighed. "Shame, though. They're best when they're still warm and soft..."

Jim tapped his foot in frustration. "Fine, I'll have a cookie."

"You have to say the magic word..."

"Abracadabra?"

"No, James. Please."

Jim knuckled his forehead in exasperation and then just threw up his hands in defeat. "May I please have a cookie, Naomi?"

"Sure, sweetie. Enjoy."

Jim took a bite of the Christmas Tree shaped sugar cookie and did a double take. "Wow, these are GREAT."

"Of course they are, James. I'm a WHIZ in the kitchen... Another?"

"Please," Jim nodded as he polished off the first one. "I forgot how much I loved these things..."

"We forget LOTS of things as we walk this road, James. It happens. Of course, a little reminder now and then doesn't hurt, now does it?"

"I guess not," Jim conceded.

"That's what makes this time of year special, you know," Naomi said wistfully. "It reminds us of the things we tend to forget the rest of the time. That's too bad, don't you agree?"

"Too bad that this time of year is a reminder?"

Naomi laughed, "No, James. Too bad that we NEED such reminders."

"Uh, yeah."

"Okie-doke, then let's get to it, shall we?"

"To what?"

"You're SUCH a dear when you're being obtuse, James," Naomi chided. "But time is short... Behold!"

"What are we doing at the station?"

"What else?" Naomi asked with a sweeping gesture. "Having a party!"

Jim grabbed the edge of the desk to steady himself. "I don't see any party," he grunted. Suddenly the double doors of Major Crimes burst open and the entire squad ambled in singing 'Deck the Halls', making up for any lack in singing ability with sheer enthusiasm. They carried gifts, decorations, and cases of soda, beer and snacks. Jim was thunderstruck by it. "What the hell is the Captain going to say about all this?" Jim gasped.

"Ask him," Naomi smirked. "Here he comes now."

"Ho! Ho! Ho! MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Captain Simon Banks shouted as he came in dressed as Santa with his son Daryl dressed as an elf. "Let's get this party STARTED!"

Ellison stared at the spectacle absolutely poleaxed. "What the hell is going ON?"

"It's called a party, James. You know... Celebration. Gathering. Festivity. Pageant," Naomi replied.

"What about the city? What about the scumbags?" Ellison carped. "Free reign?"

"No, James. They've got a rotation worked out, some on the radio, some on the street, an hour each. Of course, ONE of them takes the whole twelve - sometimes more. What a dope, huh? Missing all this ON PURPOSE. Oh well, makes room for others that have SENSE to come in out the cold, right?"

"You use my words against me," Jim sighed morosely.

"A toast!" cried Taggart raising his glass. "To Jim Ellison, whose selfless dedication makes this celebration possible for so many of us."

"Hear hear!" responded the officers in kind. "To Ellison."

"The man saved so many of us here, it's not even funny," stated Detective Brown solemnly.

"It's kinda sad, though," mused Megan . "For someone that is so quick to stand by you when the chips are down, he doesn't seem to want anything to do with you any other time."

"The man can't see the forest for the trees," Brian Rafe said with a shrug. "What's the point of saving the world when you won't let yourself LIVE in it?" Someone dropped a glass and it shattered noisily on the tiled floor. Everyone turned to see Carolyn Plummer with a look on her face like she'd been slapped, and she ran from the room in tears. Everyone turned back to Rafe scowling. "What did I say?" he asked in embarrassment.

"She's... a little touchy this time of year," Simon said gently. "It's okay. She'll be fine..."

The officers resumed the festivities, and Ellison spun to face Naomi. "But that was YEARS ago," he argued. "She should be over it by now!"

"Why?" Naomi retorted. "YOU'RE not, and you're still hurting over stuff that happened even LONGER back. Why is everyone ELSE supposed to get over it, and not YOU?"

"Take me out of here," Jim choked out. "I can't take any more of this."

"I hear that," Naomi said softly. "Let's try something a little more low key, shall we?"

"Wh-where are we now?" Jim asked shakily.

"Fifty-third and West Clark," Naomi replied. "Visiting a friend of yours..."

"Who?"

An old drunk ambled around the corner carrying a bottle in a brown bag, and he stopped suddenly in front of Jim and Naomi. "I shee youse!" he announced.

"WHAT?" Jim demanded. "Timmy? I thought we were invisible, Naomi!"

"We are," she replied. "He's talking to someone else."

Ellison turned to see, and noted a scraggly young man warming himself over a barrel-fire. The man stared at the drunk for a second, then went back to the fire. The drunk threw down the bottle and shouted, "I shee youse!"

"See what?" the man replied cockily. "What you see, rummy?"

"I sheen you thish morning," Timmy continued. "It wush YOU! I sheen you."

"Get the fuck out of here, rummy," the man snarled. "You ain't seen SHIT."

"I shaw you beat Shanta's head in with a BRICK, motherfucker," Timmy shouted back.

The man froze, and Jim heard his heartbeat accelerate. He turned to face Timmy and then began slowly approaching the old souse. "Yeah?" he asked. "You sure it was me?"

"I picked you right out of the mugbook, I shure did." Timmy replied. "Yer Rudolph Tyndale."

The man grimaced. "You told them I did that, rummy?" Rudolph said icily.

"You bet I did," Timmy sneered. "Becuzz it'sh the TRUTH. I sheen it, and I'll SCHWEAR to it."

"What makes you think you'll do that, rummy?" asked Rudolph while popping open a switchblade.

"Hold it right there!" Jim shouted, pulling out his pistol. "Police officer! On the fucking ground, NOW!"

"James?" Naomi interrupted.

"Not now," Jim snapped. "I said FREEZE!" he reiterated, releasing the safety. "On the GROUND!" But Rudolph continued to stalk forward. Jim fired. Rudolph continued towards Timmy palming the knife. "What the-?" Ellison said, as Rudolph walked right through him and grabbed Timmy by the collar.

"We're not able to be seen or heard, James," Naomi said sadly. "Or affect these events in any way. I'm sorry."

"I will FIND this greasy fuck, I swear to GOD," Jim seethed in impotent rage.

"Of course, dear, but we still have another stop to make..."

"What the-? This is MY place!"

"Of course, dear. And you know THAT adorable little sweetheart, don't you?"

Jim turned to see Blair moving in a stunned haze, his face streaked with tears. He shambled through the two visitors weakly singing 'O Christmas Tree' as he animatedly decorated the tree. Jim noticed several bags near the door.

"Geeze, I didn't think he'd take it so hard," Jim fumbled. "Is he going to be okay?"

Naomi frowned. "Sure, James. Mankind's inherent goodness will take care of him..."

Jim winced. "What the hell am I supposed to do, lady? He's a grown man, not some kid that needs to be taken care of all the time. Am I supposed to be some sort of monster because I want to have my own LIFE?"

"You do, dear. He just wants to be part of it, is all... Shame on him, huh?"

Jim turned back to watch Blair continue to decorate the tree. "Really, though, he's gonna be okay, right?"

"In a manner of speaking, James," Naomi sighed sadly. "I see someone that is more than willing to be the friend to Blair that you're not interested in being anymore. More than that I cannot say..."

"What? Why not? Who is it?"

"My time is past, James, and I must away... There is still one spirit yet to visit you, and I pray that he may yet reach you. Farewell."

"Damn it, Naomi! Tell me! What's going on?" Jim stopped in his tracks as he looked around. He was back in the white tiled room he woke up in, and there was someone standing by the door . "Okay, I see where this is going," Jim muttered. "You're the last spirit, and I'm supposed to be all scared of you and shit. Well, forget it! Oh, yeah, I see. You're taking off your hood so I can see what a scary ol' monster you are. I-" the words died in his throat as the flickering fluorescents showed him the scarred features of this last visitor. "Oh, no," Jim whispered. "Not YOU..."

"Hello, my intended," the visitor smiled.

Chapter 6