Windows To The Soul - Annie

Previously appeared in Bonded 3

"So, if it's such a great opportunity," Jim Ellison said thoughtfully as he watched his lover pace back and forth in front of him, "why haven't you told this Professor Johnson yet that you'll go?"

Blair stopped and flashed him a slightly embarrassed look from beneath his eyelashes. "I needed to know that you were okay with it first," he replied.

"I'm fine with it." Jim gave an expansive wave of one hand. "Like you said, it's something you've always wanted to do. You've given up more than enough of your time to the PD lately, and I know it's affected your study and work at the university..."

"What about you," Blair asked, a little breathlessly. He turned and faced Jim, biting his lower lip, a small frown creasing his forehead. "What about your senses? What if something happens and you need me here..."

"I can manage three or four weeks, Chief. My senses have been under control pretty much for months now, and I promise not to do anything fancy until you get back." Jim ignored the sudden chill he felt and concentrated on convincing Blair he'd be fine.

"You'll let Megan ride with you?" Blair asked. "She knows about your senses, and I can teach her a couple of things about zoning and sensory spikes..."

"So it's more about you needing to know you're okay with it," Jim pondered aloud. At the confused look on Blair's face, he leaned forward and grabbed Blair's hand, pulling him closer. "I want you to do this," he said, planting a gentle kiss on Blair's lips. "I don't want you to worry about me. I'll be fine."

Blair's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "If you're sure. I mean Prof Johnson is a real bear, man, but grad students consider it a real honor to be asked to work with him. I mean, most of them would go down on their knees for this sort of chance..."

Jim rolled his eyes. "I'm not sure I like the image that conjures up, Sandburg, you going down on your knees to some crusty old anthropology professor."

Blair dropped to his knees then and nuzzled unexpectedly at Jim's cloth-covered groin. "I'd rather go down on a crusty old cop any day." He pulled back, laughing when he received a well-deserved swat to his head.

"Enough of the old, Sandburg," Jim griped.

Blair grinned up at him. "So I can go?"

Jim reached out, pulled the phone receiver off the coffee table in reply and handed it to his partner. "Hurry up with the phone call," he ordered. "I plan on making you apologize properly for that crack."

Blair grinned suggestively and obediently dialed the Professor's number.

~o0o~

"Simon, can I have a word?" Jim asked as he stuck his head around the captain's office door.

"Sure, Jim, what's up?" Banks motioned Jim to a seat, raising his eyebrows inquiringly as the detective began pacing up and down in front of his desk instead. "Jim, something wrong?"

"No, nothing, Simon. I just need to ask you if I can be partnered with Conner for a few weeks?" Jim asked, the muscle in his jaw clenching visibly.

"I was under the impression you already had a partner," Simon replied. "What's going on, Jim? Is Blair okay?"

"Yeah, he's fine, Simon. It's just that he's been given an opportunity to travel to Mexico with some Professor guy and he really wants to go. But he made me promise I'd get Conner to partner me while he's away. I'd manage just fine on my own but he won't go if I don't agree to do it his way. You know how overprotective he can be." Jim smiled ruefully at the captain.

"Gee, I wonder where he picked that up from, Jim. You're both as bad as the other in that department. Yeah, sure, why not? Give Conner the good news, will you? I'm sure she's going to be thrilled at the idea of riding with you for a few weeks," Simon said, laughing.

"No more than I will, believe me." Jim stood with his hand on the door, seemingly deep in thought.

"Jim, what's up, man? I thought you'd want Blair to do this. He doesn't get many opportunities like this any more, since the thing with his dissertation," Simon said, eyeing Jim with concern.

"I know," Jim replied. "I'm happy for him, Simon, really..."

"But..." Simon interjected. "There's a but in there, Jim."

"I don't know. It's probably nothing but I've just had this hinky feeling about this trip ever since Blair told me about it," Jim replied.

"Define hinky, Jim, but please don't tell me it's something to do with the sentinel thing," Simon grunted, a smile taking the sting out of his words.

"Hinky, weird, you know. Ah, it's probably nothing, Simon." Jim rubbed one hand over his face and turned to leave.

"You're going to miss him, aren't you?" Simon asked quickly.

Jim glanced over his shoulder and looked into the captain's understanding eyes. "Yes, Simon, I am. That's probably all this is, anyway." He nodded. "Better go find Conner. Blair leaves in the morning."

~oOo~

"You got everything, Chief?" Jim asked, as he reached an arm around Blair's shoulder.

"Yep, don't think I forgot anything, but if I did I'll let you know when I call and get you to send it down, okay?" Blair smiled up at his lover, feeling a tightness building in his chest at the thought of not seeing Jim for weeks.

"Hey, it'll be great, Blair," Jim said reassuringly, noticing the sadness in the blue eyes gazing into his own.

"I know, Jim, it's just..." Blair stopped, swallowing hard, willing himself not to break down.

"I know, babe, I know. Hey, how about we go find a quiet corner someplace and say goodbye properly?" Jim winked and grabbed Blair by the arm, towing him over to a secluded corner of the departure lounge and behind a large fern that stood there, providing them with a convenient hiding spot.

Once, Jim had performed a quick sensory check of the perimeter to make sure they were free of curious onlookers, he pulled Blair against him, nestling his lover's head against his shoulder and running his hands up and down Blair's back. Pushing him away a little, he cupped Blair's cheek and tilted his head up. He lifted his other hand and traced gently over Blair's face with his fingertips, as if etching the features into his memory. He ran his thumb softly over his lover's full bottom lip then bent his head and kissed it, sighing softly as Blair's mouth opened under his. Jim flicked his tongue into Blair's mouth, savoring the taste and feel of its silken depth. Then they broke apart and Jim's hands tangled in Blair's hair, trying desperately to store the feeling of it away against the time that Blair was gone. He leaned forward and touched his forehead to Blair's for a moment then pulled away, releasing him as he heard the last call for Blair's flight over the P. A. system.

"Thanks for letting me do this. I love you, man. I'm gonna miss you so much, Jim," Blair whispered, his eyes bright with emotion.

"I'll miss you too. I love you, babe. You take care down there, all right. And make sure you call me whenever you can. Call collect if you have to, okay, Chief?" Jim said, his own eyes damp.

"I will, Jim. I'd better go," Blair replied, one hand reaching out to touch Jim's face. He walked back around to grab his carry-on backpack and then headed for the gate at a trot.

Jim watched until Blair's retreating figure was swallowed up by the crowd flowing through the gate, then he swung around and left the terminal, hoping the next few weeks would pass quickly and that, just this once, Blair stayed out of trouble.

~oOo~

Blair stood for a moment after alighting from the taxi in front of the hotel, just soaking up the warmth of the sun. It was such a welcome change from Cascade. He loved Cascade. It was where his life had really begun, where his love for Jim had begun, but it was cold, not to mention wet. Blair had always been a sun worshipper, ironic really, considering he'd ended up in a city where the seasons seemed to ignore summer almost totally. Finally, he turned to the impatient taxi driver standing next to him. "That's okay, I can carry it," he said, taking his overnight case and backpack. Noticing the man's disappointed expression, he handed him a note for twice as much as the taxi fare and told him to keep the change.

The driver smiled, white teeth flashing in a tan face. "Thank you, Senor. If you need a ride while you are here, call and ask for Miguel."

"I'll do that, Miguel. Thank you," Blair replied, as he climbed the few steps to the lobby.

He checked in at the desk and was given the key to his room and directions to the elevator. Refusing the offer of help with his bag, he headed for the elevator, smiling absently down at the small blond boy who was standing there.

"Hi," the child said.

"Hi," Blair replied, then, "Haven't your parents told you not to talk to strangers?" He smiled, not wanting to scare the kid.

"They don't care who I talk to," the boy said casually.

"I'm sure they do," Blair responded, looking the boy over more carefully. He was about 7 years old, with short blond hair, slightly spiked on top in the current fashion and large blue eyes that looked into his with no hint of fear or shyness. "What's your name?" Blair asked, as the elevator arrived and they entered together.

"Hunter Matheson. What's yours?"

"Nice to meet you, Hunter. I'm Blair Sandburg." Blair smiled as the boy extended his hand solemnly and shook his. "I'm sure your mom and dad don't really want you going around talking to people you don't know."

"I told you, they don't care, just as long as I don't bother them. Would you like to come and watch TV with me in the lobby later?" Hunter asked. "It's boring in the hotel room by myself."

"Where are your parents?" Blair asked, surprised. Surely they wouldn't have left a kid this young in a hotel room by himself.

"Out at a meeting. Raquel, the babysitter, was supposed to come over, but her baby's sick. Mom and Dad were real mad when she called and said she wasn't coming, but Dad said I'd just have to learn to be grown up a bit sooner than they thought. It was okay at first, but now there's nothing to do and I can't reach the microwave and I'm hungry. I asked Jorge at the desk if I could get a sandwich but the kitchen's closed," Hunter explained, almost without drawing breath.

The elevator bumped to a stop and Hunter followed Blair to the door of his room. "You could come and make me something to eat," he said, softly.

"When are your mom and dad getting back?" Blair asked, turning to face the child, feeling a twinge of empathy. He'd been a latchkey kid himself. Naomi had always been off in search of enlightenment anywhere but where Blair was. He'd tried to understand, but as the absences became more frequent and prolonged, it had become harder and harder to do so.

"Don't know," Hunter shrugged. "They have to go to a party after the meeting. Mommy left me some sandwiches but they're all dry and yucky, now. Raquel always puts them in my lunchbox for me but I guess Mom didn't know to do that..." the boy's voice trailed away. He sniffed, raising a hand to swipe across eyes that had suddenly filled with tears. "I'm not crying," he said in defiance of his actions as Blair placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Okay," Blair said, coming to a swift decision. "Hunter, why don't you come in while I unpack my stuff and make a couple of calls. Then, I'll take you back to your room and get you something to eat. I've got some crackers in my bag you can have for now. Is that all right?"

Hunter nodded, sidling past Blair into the room and sitting down tentatively on the couch.

Blair followed him in and quickly found the box of rice crackers Jim had thrown in his bag at the last minute. "Just in case you can't stomach the airline food," he'd grinned. Blair smiled at the memory and headed for the phone, handing Hunter the snacks and turning on the television as he passed. "I'll just be a few minutes," he said, heading for the bedroom and relative privacy.

First order of business should have been to call Jim and let him know he'd arrived safely, but Hunter's presence had rearranged his list of priorities somewhat. Instead he put in a call to the desk and spoke to Jorge, the manager.

Profuse apologies later, Blair had managed to find out that Hunter was, in fact, quite probably the kid the "Home Alone" movies had been based on. Apparently his parents came to Mexico several times a year on business, sometimes hired a babysitter, sometimes not. When they attended their meetings and social events, the boy pretty much fended for himself. Blair refused Jorge's offer to send someone up to return the boy to his own room, and explained that he would take Hunter there as soon as he'd finished unpacking and stay with him till his parents returned. He also gave the manager Simon's phone number at the Cascade PD as a reference, just in case there were any questions further down the line. These days, you could never be too careful when it came to dealing with kids, especially kids you just happened to pick up on your way to the elevator.

He took a quick look out into the other room to check on the boy. Hunter was still sitting on the couch, munching on the crackers.

Blair punched in the number for the operator and gave her the number for the loft. He waited while it was dialed then smiled as he heard Jim pick up. "Hey, babe, it's me. How are you?" he asked.

"Hey, Chief, I'm fine. I miss you already, though. Was your flight okay?" Jim replied.

"Yeah, you know, it was all right. I'm hooking up with the Prof tomorrow afternoon, and I guess we'll be on the move the morning after so I just wanted to make sure I caught up with you now. I'm not sure how good the reception on my cell phone is going to be once we're away from the city."

"Mr. Sandburg, do you have a soda or something?" came a timid voice from the doorway.

"Who's that?" Jim asked.

"That's Hunter. Hang on a sec, Jim. Go check the refrigerator, Hunter. There should be something cold in there to drink." Blair waited till the boy had left before resuming his conversation. "Aah, he's a kid about 7 or 8 I met at the elevator today when I got here. His parents have gone off somewhere and left him on his own and he was hungry and scared so I brought him up to my room. I called the desk and apparently it's a pretty regular gig for the kid. I'm gonna take him up to his own room in a while and wait with him till his folks get back," Blair explained.

"Still picking up strays, Sandburg?" Jim asked affectionately. "Didn't you learn your lesson when you took me under your wing?"

"No more than you did when you gave me a home," Blair responded fondly.

"Touche, Chief. Listen, Blair, be careful, please," Jim said, his voice lowering, becoming serious.

"I will, babe. I miss you, too, you know. I almost wish I hadn't agreed..." Blair began, his eyes stinging.

"Nah, none of that, Chief. This is something you needed to do, for yourself. I'll still be here when you get back. Just stay out of trouble, and don't make me have to come looking for you, okay?"

"Yeah, I know. Look, I'd better go. I'll speak to you as soon as I can. God, Jim, I love you so much," Blair said, wishing he could reach out and touch his lover with his hands instead of just his voice.

"I love you, too, Blair. I'll speak to you soon."

~oOo~

Blair unlocked the door to his room, feeling exhausted. He debated taking a shower, then decided he was too tired to bother. He glanced at the clock. It was after 11PM and he wanted to get in a trip to the markets in the morning before meeting up with Professor Johnson and the rest of his party. He settled for a quick sluice under the cold water faucet and brushing his teeth, then stripped down to his boxers and crawled into bed.

He should have been tired enough to fall asleep almost immediately but he couldn't stop thinking about Hunter.

He'd taken the boy up to his own room and made him fresh sandwiches then sat with him, watching TV till the kid's parents arrived home.

Don and Sally Matheson had been grateful to Blair for watching out for their son but Blair had felt chilled by their obvious lack of concern that a stranger had spent the evening in their room with the boy. He'd offered them Simon's phone number at the PD to check his credentials but they'd waved it off, saying they were sure he was above board.

Blair had been surprised when Hunter had pushed past his parents as he was leaving and wrapped his arms around Blair's waist in a firm hug.

"Thank you, Mr. Sandburg," the boy whispered shyly.

"You're welcome, Hunter. You can call me Blair." Blair gave the boy's shoulders a gentle squeeze and left, throwing the child a smile as he let himself out the door.

Poor kid, Blair thought, as he rolled over and closed his eyes, finally drifting off to sleep.

Blair was up and dressed the next morning early. He preferred to do his shopping before the day became too hot, knowing that at around midday the stall holders would close down business for an hour or two. He showered and dressed, then grabbed his backpack, making sure he had his phone and wallet, then headed downstairs and out into the street, nodding hello to the man at the desk.

Blair walked at a steady pace towards the markets he'd seen the night before. Reaching the square, he stopped to get his bearings, turning in a slow circle, a smile lighting his face as his eyes and ears took in the vibrancy and hum of his surroundings. Stalls were being set up, some goods placed on trestle tables, others on blankets on the ground. People laughed and called to their neighbours, joking about the quality of the other's merchandise, while children buzzed around them.

Blair noticed one group of children playing a game that seemed to involve some sort of hand signals. Intrigued, wondering if perhaps they were using a form of Mexican sign language he moved closer to them, grinning to himself as he realized that the game was, in fact, "Rock, Scissors, Paper." It seemed that some games transcended cultural boundaries.

A flash of a blond head among the dark ones huddled together caught his eye and he moved closer still as he realized the child was his erstwhile companion from the night before. Obviously, the kid didn't need much more sleep than Blair himself did. He was about to call to the boy when Hunter glanced around and saw him.

"Hi, Blair," Hunter said, clearly pleased to see him.

"Hey, Hunter, what are you doing up so early?" Blair said, smiling as he reached the group. The other kids looked up at him curiously, two small girls giggling and whispering behind their hands. Blair grinned back at them, then turned to Hunter. "Do your folks know where you are?" he asked.

"They're asleep," Hunter said casually, "but they know I come down here to play. It's cool." He shrugged. "Can I hang out with you for a while? My friends have to go help their parents with the stalls."

"Sure," Blair said, nodding. He watched as Hunter high fived all the kids in the group and waved goodbye himself, watching as the children skittered off, still chattering amongst themselves. He resumed walking slowly, allowing Hunter to keep pace with his longer legs.

They wandered along companionably as Hunter plied Blair with questions about where he was from, and what he was doing in Mexico. When Blair explained that he was an anthropology teacher at a university, Hunter's face took on a look of disgust and Blair guessed the kid was none too fond of schools. He wondered briefly why the boy wasn't at school now. His parents certainly seemed wealthy enough to send him to boarding school. Perhaps they did home schooling with him, though he doubted that, considering their active social lives, or maybe he had a tutor.

Hunter finally paused in his non-stop recitation of what he planned to do when he was older. Blair refrained from pointing out that it was probably a good idea even for racing car drivers to have some education. "I'm gonna get a drink," the boy said, pointing to a pump a hundred yards or so away, almost hidden from view by the wall that surrounded three sides of the square.

"Okay," Blair said, wondering momentarily if he should tell Hunter to stick to bottled water, but then decided that the boy had obviously drunk the water here before as he'd known where the pump was. Ah, the resiliency of youth Blair thought to himself as he grabbed his own water bottle from his bag and took a couple of sips. He looked back to see the boy had just reached the pump, then the bottle dropped from nerveless fingers as a hand snaked out from the shadows of the wall and grabbed the kid around the waist.

"Hey!" Blair shouted, taking off at a run, his backpack bumping awkwardly against him. He reached the wall just in time to see Hunter being dragged around the corner by a large man who had one hand wrapped around the boy's mouth, stifling Hunter's screams.

Blair covered the rest of the distance in a leap, grabbing for Hunter's arm and catching hold. He dug in his heels, pulling back against the bigger man, feeling like he was in some sort of surreal tug of war contest. The man stopped, his eyes glaring into Blair's.

Hunter appeared paralysed with fear, his eyes wide above the hand cupped over his mouth. He looked pleadingly at Blair, then abruptly his gaze flicked to Blair's left shoulder and he began to struggle, desperately trying to give voice to his terror.

Blair turned to glance behind him, in time to see something dark descending toward his head. He tried to duck, but his firm grip on Hunter's arm limited his ability to move freely and the world flared into white light as the weapon crashed into the side of his head. His knees collapsed beneath him and he fell to the ground, feeling his limp fingers releasing their hold on the boy. He fought to remain conscious even as darkness impinged on his vision, then there was another blow, this time to the back of his head, and the world abruptly winked out of existence.

~oOo~

"Detective Ellison? We need you to wake up now."

Jim groaned as he felt his eyelid peeled back and a light was shone into his eye. He twisted his head, trying to pull it away from the source of the discomfort.

"Okay, we'll try again in a while." The voice receded into the haze surrounding him and Jim let it go, sinking deeper into darkness, the pain in his head and shoulder ebbing away with it.

Blair!

"Whoa, easy, Jim. You with us now?"

The voice was Simon's and Jim struggled against the fog clouding his brain, willing his eyes to focus on his surroundings despite the pounding at his temples.

"Blair! Where's Blair?" Jim pushed himself up, his eyes staying open this time, recognizing his captain standing over him. He felt Simon's hands on his shoulders, easing him back against the pillows.

"Blair's in Mexico, Jim. Take it easy, man. Blair's fine. He wasn't with you. You're in the hospital." Simon sounded as confused as Jim felt.

"Detective Ellison? Jim? I'm Dr. Barnes. Do you remember what happened?"

"Um... not really. Stakeout... Simon, I saw Blair. He's in trouble..." Jim tried to school his tongue to coherence, forcing back the cobwebs that blurred his memory.

"Jim, listen to me." Simon cast a quick look at the doctor, looking for reassurance that Jim was just concussed. Getting an affirmative nod from the medico he continued. "You were at a stakeout with Megan. You got caught in crossfire. But you're gonna be fine. Right, Doctor?"

"You have a slight concussion from hitting your head against the floor when you fell and luckily you were only grazed by the bullet. You needed a few stitches in the gash in your shoulder but I'm sure that after a night's rest and observation you'll be fine. " The doctor patted Jim's shoulder then turned to Simon. "Another ten minutes, Captain. Your detective needs to get some sleep."

"Of course." Simon waited until the doctor had left before he fixed Jim with a steely glare. "What the hell happened out there, Ellison? Did you zone? I didn't think you did that any more."

Jim shook his head carefully, wincing at the throb in his head as he did so. "I didn't zone. I saw Blair... Well, not Blair exactly...just his eyes. Shit, Simon, it was so strange. I just froze. Didn't even hear anyone around me. One minute I was focused on the warehouse, the next minute I saw a wolf in front of me, then there was the face of this kid...then Blair's eyes. And I just couldn't move. Next thing I remember is the doctor shining a light in my eyes. Simon, I have to go to Mexico. Blair's in trouble. I have to go..." Jim flailed against the side rails of the bed, trying desperately to pull himself up. Pain shot through his shoulder and he flopped back as his vision dimmed and nausea roiled in his gut.

"Not right now you're not," Simon said. "Look, Jim, I'll call Blair at his hotel or on his cell, make sure he's okay. You get some rest. The doc says you're gonna need a few days off. I'll be back in the morning. I'm sure Blair's fine. Maybe it's because you didn't really want him to go. You know, a break in the Sentinel-Guide thing or something like that."

"Thought you didn't believe in that," Jim grunted.

"Hey, I never said I didn't believe in it. Just said I didn't want to know more than I had to about it. Maybe it's gotten deeper since you and Blair...you know..." Simon stopped suddenly, not sure how to continue.

"Since we became lovers?" Jim asked quietly. "Maybe, but that's why I'm worried. The wolf is Blair's spirit animal and last time I spoke to Blair he said he'd met up with this kid about the same age as the boy I saw in my vision. Simon, please call him. Nobody's gonna be more pleased than me if I'm being stupid. But I really feel there's something wrong."

Simon patted Jim's uninjured shoulder. "I'm on it, Jim. I'll call and leave a message for you as soon as I speak to him. Hell, once he knows you've been hurt, he'll probably be on the next flight out of Mexico anyway. Get some sleep," Simon said firmly as he left the room.

Jim let his head drop back to the pillow and tried vainly to recall everything that had happened since he and Conner had arrived at the warehouse where a weapons buy was supposed to take place. He rubbed one hand along his aching forehead, trying to visualise the dials. Not for the first time since Blair had left, he wished him back desperately. How could everything have fallen apart so quickly? He'd been pretty much in control of his senses for some time now. There'd been no question of Blair leaving the loft once Jim no longer needed him so much for that. By then they'd been lovers for months and Blair was his life partner now, as well as his guide and his partner at work. His temples throbbed as he saw again the vision of the wolf, its face gradually morphing into that of a young blond boy, whose eyes were filled with fear. As he watched, transfixed, the boy's eyes changed, replaced by the deep blue steady gaze Jim knew and loved so much. "Blair," Jim whispered, inexplicable anguish gripping him, bringing bile to touch the back of his throat, making him gag.

He swallowed back on the nausea and gradually levered himself upright. The room tilted madly as he swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. He forced himself to stand still for a moment, willing the vertigo away. He brought Blair's voice to the forefront of his memory and listened to the gentle cadences from another time when Jim had been shot in the arm, the first time Blair had taught him to use the dials. He followed the remembered instructions to the letter, finally seeing the necessary dial in his head and ruthlessly twisting it down to one, sagging with relief as the pain in his head and shoulder diminished. Now he really wished Blair were here to see how well the Sentinel had learned the Guide's lessons, though he doubted Blair would be too happy with the use Jim was putting them to.

Jim moved to the door and opened it a crack, extending his hearing as he did so, The staff all seemed to be down the other end of the floor, dealing with some sort of problem. Feeling like a heel, Jim found himself hoping the emergency would last long enough for him to get dressed and make his escape. He closed the door and grabbed his clothes from where they'd been draped over a chair. Dressing as quickly as his injured arm would let him, he worked out the fastest way he could reach Mexico and find out what had happened to Blair. He knew Simon would do as he'd promised and call Blair, but Jim had no doubt that his vision was a warning and by the time Simon had the confirmation that Jim had been right, it might be too late for his partner.

Since Jim and Blair had become lovers, the Sentinel-Guide bond had deepened between them, to the extent that they joked about having developed ESP when it came to reading each other's moods and feelings. Jim knew the vision had been given to him for a reason. It called to the most primal instinct in him, deeper even than his need to protect his lover. It was an age-old call to the Sentinel to protect the Guide.

Jim checked the corridor once more then carefully made his way from the room, managing to exit the hospital without arousing any suspicion. Once outside he made a phone call to Blair's old friend, Jack Kelso, who promised to call in as many favors as it took to get Jim on the earliest fastest flight to Mexico. Then Jim hailed a cab and headed back to the loft to pack.

~oOo~

Blair became aware of sound before anything else. A vaguely familiar voice tugged at his consciousness and he fought against the darkness threatening to reclaim him. Slowly he managed to open his eyes, seeing a pale blur above him. He blinked several times until the blur resolved itself into Hunter's face, the boy's eyes red rimmed and swollen from crying, tears continuing to streak down his pale cheeks onto Blair's hair and chest.

"Hunter?" Blair husked the word, his voice sounding rusty as if from disuse.

"Blair? I thought you were dead!" The child bent forward and buried his head against Blair's chest, his thin shoulders heaving with sobs, his fingers clutching at Blair's shirt.

"No. I'm okay." Blair amended that slightly to himself as he finally managed to sit up, still cradling the boy to him. His head pounded in time with his heartbeat. Raising a hand to his temple and then to the back of his head he could feel the stickiness of blood matting his hair. Suddenly, he felt the hot-cold rush of nausea and his skin broke out in a sweat. He thrust the child from him almost roughly and turned to retch violently onto the ground.

"Blair..." Hunter's voice was a whisper, fear lacing through it.

Blair flopped bonelessly back to the ground, struggling to regain his breath. "S'okay, Hunter," he panted. "Just give me a minute."

Hunter leaned down until he was resting on Blair's chest again, his fingers once more curled into the fabric of Blair's shirt. "Don't die," he sobbed quietly. "I don't want to be here by myself."

Blair cupped the back of the boy's head firmly and rubbed soothing circles on his back. "Shh, I'm not gonna die. I'm going to get us both out of here but you need to calm down so you can help me, all right?" He waited till he felt a nod against his shoulder then continued, "How many men are there, Hunter, do you know?"

"Three, I think."

"Do you know what this place is? Where are the men now?"

"It's just a little house. We're in a shed out back of the house but I heard them lock the door after they put us in here. I think there's only two of them here now, coz the other man drove off in the van after we got here and I haven't heard it come back yet. I guess the other men are in the house."

"Do you have any idea where we are?" Blair asked.

"Not really, but we were only driving for a little while," Hunter replied, pushing himself up and rubbing a grimy hand across his wet cheeks. "Can we get out of here soon, Blair? I don't like it here. Those men were laughing when we were in the van and saying that now they had two bodies to pack the drugs in. What did they mean? Are they going to kill us?" Hunter's eyes were wide with terror and his voice threatened tears again.

"There's no way I'm going to let that happen, Hunter. Listen, remember I told you I'm a teacher?"

Hunter nodded.

"Well, I also work with the Cascade Police Department..."

"You're a teacher and a cop? Like undercover or something?" Hunter's voice held a trace of awe now and Blair gave himself a mental pat on the back for successfully distracting the child.

"Not undercover exactly... Well, sort of..." Blair decided the details of exactly how he worked with the police didn't need to be explained. If thinking he was an undercover cop gave Hunter more confidence in Blair's ability to get them out of this and lessened his fear, the small obfuscation was worthwhile. "Anyway, I'm going to get us both home."

"What did they mean about bodies and drugs?" Hunter asked and Blair shuddered inwardly at the question. He'd read news stories of children being kidnapped and killed, their small bodies filled with narcotics in a morgue, then shipped to where the drugs would be removed and the bodies abandoned.

"I'm not sure," he answered finally. "But we don't need to worry about it because we're getting out of here, right?" He made the question more a statement of fact and reached out to give Hunter a quick hug when the boy nodded his agreement emphatically. "This is what I need you to do. I want you to call out and say you want your mom. Don't sound too scared. We don't want both of them rushing in here. But just keep calling out. Hopefully, just one of them will come to tell you to be quiet. You got that? You need to sound whiney, not scared, okay?"

"Mom says I do whiney real good," Hunter said, the trace of a smile tilting his lips.

"Yeah, well, moms are supposed to say that. It's their job," Blair responded, giving an answering smile. He cast a look around their small prison, looking for anything that might conceivably be used as a weapon. Shakily, he got to his feet and made his way over to a small tool bench, pocketing a screwdriver and picking up a hammer. He shuddered involuntarily at the thought of using the tools to disable anyone but pushed his squeamishness aside. A wave of dizziness almost brought him to his knees again and he felt Hunter trying desperately to shore him up, the boy's arm gripping his waist.

Blair breathed in and out slowly, just the way he'd instructed Jim to when he was guiding him. He blinked back the sudden burn of tears at the thought of his lover and stood up carefully, locking his knees.

"You ready, Hunter?" he asked.

"Yep," the boy said, straightening his shoulders, while keeping a firm grip on Blair's shirt.

"Good, let's get out of here. Um, Hunter... you're gonna have to let go of me so I can go and hide behind the door," Blair said softly, squeezing the child in a quick embrace then pushing him gently away.

The boy nodded and waited till Blair had secreted himself in the shadows of the doorway. Then he pressed himself up against the gap between the hinges and put on the show of his young life. "Mommy! I want mommy!" he called, his voice rising in an irritating upward inflection at the end of each cry.

Blair grinned despite the seriousness of their plight. He'd give the kid an A+ in whining right then and there.

Within minutes, Blair heard a door open and a raised voice. Another voice slurred a question, then the door slammed and footsteps approached the shed. He squinted through the gap in the hinges and was relieved to see only one man approaching the shed. Admittedly the man had two or three inches in height and maybe twenty pounds in weight on the anthropologist, but Blair hefted the hammer in his hand and reminded himself that he was Hunter's only hope of getting out of here alive.

The man fumbled with a key, finally inserting it into the lock and pushed the door open.

Hunter stepped away from the door as the kidnapper moved inside. The man raised a hand as if to cuff the boy across the head and as he did, Blair moved in, the hammer smacking down hard against the side of the man's head.

The Mexican collapsed to his knees and Blair pushed Hunter through the doorway, then stepped around the man himself, grunting as he felt his knees restrained. He glanced down and saw the man had wrapped a beefy arm around his legs and was trying to pull him down to the ground.

Blair fished for the screwdriver and managed to hook it out, even as he stumbled to the ground.

The kidnapper began shouting to his accomplice and Blair pushed the sharp end of the tool into the man's throat. "Shut up!" he growled.

The man quieted suddenly, one hand coming up to wrap around Blair's. Blair pushed the screwdriver in deeper, grimacing as he did so, then felt around the man's belt till his fingers encountered a gun. He pulled it free from the holster, released the safety catch and raised it to the man's face, standing up and moving out of reach as he did so. "Don't move," he whispered harshly. "Hunter, has anyone come out of the house?" he asked the kid.

"Not yet," the boy quavered.

"Good," Blair replied. He leaned down to the man on the ground and spoke to him in Spanish, hoping the kidnapper would understand. "Get up on your knees and turn around."

The man got up clumsily with Blair still holding the gun aimed squarely at him.

"Hunter, run to the back of the shed and wait for me. If I'm not there by the time you count to ten quickly, just run and don't stop till you find help, understand?" Blair looked at Hunter, who nodded back at him.

"Good boy, now go. I'll be right behind you."

~oOo~

Jim moved out onto the tarmac toward the small plane that awaited him. Jack had been as good as his word, calling Jim back within an hour to say that a friend of his would fly him to Mexico.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Ellison?" came a growled voice at Jim's ear.

Jim turned in surprise and found Simon standing behind him.

"How..."

"Kelso called me. He was worried about you. Jim, look, I tried calling Blair's cell phone. It was out of range or something. So I called the hotel." Simon stopped, seeing Jim's face pale. He reached out a supporting hand as the detective tried to speak. "Just take it easy, Jim. Apparently, a kid named Hunter Matheson and Blair were abducted from a market near Blair's hotel this morning. The local police thought the kidnappers snatched the kid for ransom but the parents haven't heard anything. Now, they think it might have something to do with those cases where bodies have been used to smuggle drugs." Simon stopped, knowing Jim would understand what he was talking about.

"Blair?" Jim asked.

"He was hit on the head when he tried to stop them grabbing the boy, but the witnesses seem to think he was still alive. The people who saw it happen either couldn't get to them in time or were just too damned scared to try. That's all I know right now, Jim. I'm sorry." Simon grabbed Jim's arm as Ellison's knees gave way and he collapsed to the tarmac. "Jim, we need to get you back to the hospital..."

"NO!" Jim shouted, rearing up again. His head spun at the sudden movement and he leaned into the captain's grasp, feeling Simon's arm go around his waist to hold him up. "No," he repeated, quietly this time, pushing back the pain and nausea. "I'm going, Simon. I'm on sick leave, remember. You stop me going now and I'll just catch the next flight to Mexico anyway."

Simon glared into Jim's face. "I wasn't suggesting we leave Blair down there, Jim. I'll go. You're in no condition to mount a search..."

"I'm going," Jim said mutinously. "I'll be fine once we find Blair."

"Dammit, Ellison. You and your partner are going to be the death of me yet... Okay, we both go." Simon firmed his grip on Jim's arm and steered him towards the plane.

~oOo~

Blair waited till he was sure Hunter would have reached the back of the shed, then he brought the gun down as hard as he could across the back of the kidnapper's head. The man slumped to the ground and Blair automatically reached to check for a pulse. He sighed in relief as he found one. No matter how vile the man's crimes Blair had no wish to be his executioner. He spun on his heels and took off to find Hunter.

He'd just reached the back corner of the shed when he heard a door slam and a voice called to him to stop. He ignored it, rounded the corner and grabbed Hunter, pushing the boy ahead of him toward the cover of the trees at the edge of the property, then took off after him as fast as his legs would carry him.

One bullet whizzed past his ear and he put on more speed. He felt a thumping pain in his arm that almost brought him down, but adrenaline kept him moving and they reached the shadows, legs churning through the inhospitable bushes till finally the voice behind had receded into the night air and Blair felt they were safe, at least for now. He reached his uninjured arm out and snagged the back of Hunter's tee shirt, dragging the boy to a halt.

"Stop," Blair panted. "We need to find somewhere to rest. I think we lost him." He glanced around, fighting down the pain and dizziness.

Hunter looked at him with wide eyes. "He shot you," the boy said, sounding shocked.

"Yeah," Blair replied in a pain filled voice. "Let's find somewhere safe to rest," he went on.

Hunter pointed to a hill in front of them, its face pocked with small caverns. "We could hide in one of the caves," he said.

"Let's go," Blair replied, pushing the boy ahead of him, and willing his body to hang on just a little longer.

They finally stumbled through the entrance of a cave and Blair sank to his knees. He glanced up as Hunter touched his shoulder gently.

"Hey, buddy, you okay?" Blair asked.

Hunter nodded, but his face was pale as he looked at Blair's injured arm. "You're bleeding," he whispered. "Are you going to die?"

"No way. I told you that already, remember? I just need to wrap it in a bandage till we get back to town, stop the bleeding. I've been shot before. I know what to do," Blair said, sinking down to sit on the floor of the cave. Truth to tell, he felt like death warmed over. His arm throbbed steadily in time with the thumping of his head and he felt the chill of shock beginning to overtake him. With Hunter's help he managed to tear a strip off his shirt and bind his arm. Then he rested back against the wall of the cave and pulled Hunter next to him, cocooning him in a reassuring embrace.

"Try to sleep, Hunter. Just for a little while. I'm going to keep watch. In a couple of hours we're going to head for town."

Blair rested his aching head against the cool rock and struggled to keep his eyes open, his ears alert to the slightest sound that their kidnappers had found them. He found himself wishing desperately for Jim's presence at his side. Gradually he lost his hard fought battle for alertness and closing his eyes, slipped into unconsciousness.

~oOo~

"Hey, Jim, you okay?"

Jim's eyes snapped open and he pushed up against the restraining arm. "Simon?"

"Yeah. You sure know how to scare a guy. I'll get the doctor to come and give you something for the pain."

"No, I'm fine. Help me up, will you?" Jim felt his shoulders encompassed by Simon's arms then he swung his feet around till he was sitting on the side of the bed. He held a hand up as Simon began to speak. "Just give me a minute to get my bearings, Simon."

They'd arrived eight or so hours before and gone directly to the hotel to speak to Hunter's parents and the witnesses who'd seen Blair and the child abducted. There had been no new leads but Jim was ready to head on out into the area surrounding the market when his injuries and the worry over Blair had caught up with him and he'd collapsed silently into a heap on the ground. Simon had managed to get him back to the hotel room and into bed with the help of the local police officers who'd been accompanying them. A doctor had been called, who'd redressed the detective's shoulder wound and recommended a sedative to help him rest. Jim, who'd regained consciousness by then, had refused vehemently. Finally, Simon had threatened to continue the search without Ellison unless Jim got some rest and eventually the Sentinel had fallen into a restless sleep.

Now, Jim looked up at Simon and recalled the dream that had disturbed his sleep. The wolf again, morphing into the child's face and then Blair's eyes. But this time there was more.

"I know where they are, Simon," he said, surely.

"What? How?" Simon asked, then he sighed. "Sentinel thing?" he queried.

"'Fraid so. There are caves in the hills near here. Blair and the boy are hiding out in one of them. I think Blair's been shot." Jim swallowed hard against the lump in his throat that threatened to choke him as he spoke the words.

"Jim, even supposing you're right, there could be dozens of caves round here. How the hell are we going to find the right one?" Simon asked in frustration.

"We need to ask the locals about a cave that has a cairn in front of it. It's a memorial of some sort. There are flowers on it and they're fresh so someone must visit it regularly." Jim pushed himself to his feet, shaking off Simon's helping hand. "I'm okay, Simon. Let's just go get Blair and the boy."

Simon looked the Sentinel over critically. Jim was pale and sweaty. In spite of the few hours sleep he'd had he looked exhausted.

"Trust me, Simon," Jim said so quietly that the captain almost missed what he'd said.

Banks headed for the door. "Let's go find your partner," he said, as he turned and ushered Jim through ahead of him.

~oOo~

"Blair? Can you wake up for me?"

Blair whimpered as he tried to find the source of the voice. He struggled to push aside the dark curtain separating him from reality and finally succeeded in opening his eyes.

"jim?"

"Yeah, I'm right here, babe. "

Blair groaned, pain coalescing in his arm and head, threatening to send him back into oblivion. He focused desperately on the face above him, dreading waking and finding it all a dream. He felt a warm mouth touch his forehead and the feel of a gentle hand stroking his hair. The face swam in front of his eyes then took on a recognisable form.

"jim... dream?" Blair pushed the words out past arid lips.

"Not this time, Blair. You're safe. You're in hospital. I'm here. Rest now."

Again there was the soft touch on his forehead and he closed his eyes, even while his hand reached out blindly, sighing as he felt it clasped in a hand he knew as well as his own.

"hunter?" he husked out.

"He's fine, Blair. Shh, it's okay now," Jim said, his fingers tracing gentle circles over the point at Blair's wrist where he could feel the blood thundering under the skin. His senses told him when Blair was asleep. Then he leaned forward till his head rested over the comforting beat of his lover's heart and he closed his own eyes and allowed himself to follow Blair into slumber.

~oOo~

"You up to visitors?" Jim asked, as he bent and kissed Blair gently on the mouth.

"Sure. Who is it?" Blair asked, pushing himself up against the pillows with Jim's help. He still felt tired but he was bored with resting and eager to get out of the hospital.

"Come in," Jim said, walking over and opening the door to the hospital room.

"Hi, Blair," Hunter said shyly, as he entered, his father close behind him.

"Hi, buddy. How are you?" Blair replied, pleased to see that the boy looked well.

"Okay." Hunter moved up to stand next to the bed. "Are you really alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine. Are you?" Blair replied, reaching out to clasp the boy's hand gently with his own.

Hunter nodded.

"Thank you, Blair." Don Matheson had come to stand next to his son, an arm wrapping easily around the child's shoulders.

"No problem," Blair said. "Just promise me you'll take care of him, alright. We're friends. Right, Hunter?"

Hunter nodded, a hand coming up to scrub at his eyes. He dropped it to his side. "I'm not crying," he said firmly.

"Of course not," Blair said, patting the boy's arm.

"We've learnt our lesson, Mr. Sandburg. Hunter won't be left alone like that again," Hunter's father said apologetically.

"I wasn't alone, Dad. Blair was with me," Hunter corrected. He leaned forward and rested his head against Blair's chest, as he had when they were held captive.

Blair hugged the child to him with his good arm. "Hey, buddy, you stay in touch, okay? Write to me. Jim'll give you our address."

"I already have, Chief," Jim said, smiling. "Hey, Hunter, did you tell Blair you're going to boarding school?"

"I am," Hunter said, giggling at Blair's surprised look. "I'm gonna study really hard too. I don't think I want to be a race car driver when I grow up, any more."

"Oh? So what are you going to be?" Blair asked, smiling. "A teacher maybe? Or an anthropologist?"

"Nah," Hunter snorted. "I'm gonna be just like you, Blair. I'm gonna be an undercover cop!"

Blair speared Jim with a glare as the detective choked back a laugh. "That's great, Hunter. Then when Detective Ellison needs a new partner he'll know just who to call."

Hunter looked at Jim and nodded happily. "Bye Blair," he said as his father pulled him towards the door.

"Bye, Hunter. Thanks for helping me, buddy," Blair called back as the door closed behind them.

"You up for one more visitor?" Jim asked, moving over to the door again.

Blair nodded then blinked in surprise as Simon walked in.

"How you doing, kid?" Banks asked, moving up to clasp Blair's hand in his own large one.

"I'm better, Simon... I mean, Captain. I didn't know you were here," Blair blurted out.

"Simon came with me to find you, Chief," Jim explained.

"Well, Ellison's not safe on his own. You know that, Sandburg. Besides, I seem to remember a certain police observer who jumped out of a plane over Peru to rescue my son and me and then traipsed through a forest to rescue me from an escaped convict, and got shot in the leg while he was at it," Simon said, grinning down at Blair.

"Thanks, Simon. For coming to find me and for looking after Jim for me," Blair replied quietly. "I know Jim would have come after me on his own, even though he was hurt..." Blair looked across at Ellison and Simon saw the expression of love that passed between the two men.

"It was nothing, Blair. Just try not to make it a habit, okay?" Simon turned toward the door, pausing just before he opened it. "I'll see you two back in Cascade in a couple of days. Try to keep your partner out of trouble, Jim. We need him in one piece." Simon threw a smile at his best team and left.

Blair grabbed Jim's hand. "Any more visitors?" he asked.

"Nope, sorry, Chief, that's it till we get home," Jim replied.

"Good," Blair said, tugging Jim down till he could reach his mouth with his. "I love you, Jim," he whispered, just before their mouths met.

~oOo~

They'd been home for three days. Blair's arm wound had begun to heal, as had Jim's, but Blair was still worn out from his ordeal. The first two nights home had found Blair fast asleep in Jim's arms by 8-30PM and, as much as Jim longed for the intimacy of sex and a renewal of their bond, he'd held back. There'd be time enough when Blair was fully recovered.

On the third night though, Blair had decided to take matters into his own hands, so to speak, and by the time Jim had gone upstairs after locking up, Blair was naked on top of the covers. The fingers of one hand caressed a nipple while the other hand stroked lightly up and down his cock.

Jim felt his own penis harden instantly in response, and with an almost feral growl, he pulled off his clothes and pushed his way between Blair's legs. He bent to kiss his lover's mouth, inadvertently jostling Blair's injured arm in the process, causing the younger man to yelp with pain.

"Oh Blair, I'm sorry. Are you okay?" Jim asked, fingers checking the bandage for fresh blood.

"Hey, chill, Jim. It's just a bit tender, that's all. No big deal." Blair reached his other arm up to pull Jim closer. "Come on, babe. I've been waiting for this for a long time." He reached for Jim's cock but Jim sat back on his heels, moving beyond Blair's searching hand.

"Jim?" Blair sounded stunned.

"We'll still get there, Chief. I just think, maybe we should do things a little different, just until we're both recovered. I don't know about you, but my arm's not really up to holding me up just yet. There are lots of other ways to make love, Blair." Jim leaned down and punctuated his words with a breath-stealing kiss, being sure to keep clear of Blair's wound this time.

"Yeah?" Blair winked. "So you want to experiment, hey? What do you want to do, Ellison?" He returned his hand to his cock, and began to palm it firmly, seeing Jim's eyes dilate with desire as he did it.

"Oh yeah, touch yourself for me, Blair," Jim whispered, his mouth dry.

Blair moaned softly as he fisted his erection slowly. His eyes gazed lazily into those of his lover, who moved back between his legs, pulling on his own hard cock.

"Touch me, Jim," Blair whimpered, bending his knees back to expose his center to his partner.

Jim swallowed, then, still languidly stroking his own penis, licked a finger and used it to trace gently around Blair's hole.

"God, Jim," Blair gasped, pushing down as he tried to get more of the finger into his ass, while his strokes on his cock sped up exponentially.

"Uh uh, babe, not so fast. Tonight we're just going for some extended foreplay," Jim said quietly, as he leaned forward and blew a soft wisp of air across Blair's balls.

"Jeez, Jim. You'll drive me crazy." Blair sighed and began to massage his cock more slowly again, determined now to make the pleasure last. He rubbed his thumb over the head of his cock on each upstroke, hearing Jim moan as he did it. He looked down, unconsciously speeding his strokes as he saw Jim pleasuring himself and felt the continued torment of the finger tracing maddening circles around his anus.

"Turn on your side, babe," Jim whispered.

He waited till Blair was in position, then moved to lie next to him, his feet to Blair's head, Blair's cock in front of his mouth. Then, slowly he moved forward and sucked as much of it as he could into his mouth.

He heard Blair moan above him, then felt his own hardness encompassed by the moist sweetness of Blair's lips.

They set a gentle rhythm, both humming their pleasure as the fire built slowly within them.

Jim tongued Blair's cock almost roughly, scraping his teeth up and down the shaft. He reached a moist finger back behind Blair's balls, seeking and finding the entrance to his partner's body and pushed inside, groaning as he felt his own body penetrated at the same time.

It was too intense to last and Jim could feel his balls beginning to tighten. He shoved his finger in and out faster, in time with his increased sucking of the hard shaft in his mouth. He could hear Blair moaning almost continuously now and he concentrated his attention on bringing his lover to climax. Blair's mouth stopped its sensual massage and he froze in place, then suddenly he thrust his cock deeper into Jim's mouth and poured his completion down Jim's throat.

As soon as Blair had stopped shuddering he began to suckle Jim's penis again in earnest, penetrating his center more deeply with his finger. Jim writhed back, trying to drive the pleasurable intruder deeper still then thrust forward. He rocked faster and faster between Blair's hand and mouth till he felt his orgasm exploding upwards from his balls and he flooded Blair's mouth with his own release.

"Oh, God, Jim, that was incredible, " Blair said softly, pulling Jim up next to him and pillowing his head against the broad chest.

Jim tangled his fingers in Blair's curls, and placed his other hand along his lover's cheek, caressing hypnotically.

They lay together in silence, content, drifting towards sleep, their spirits as well their hearts bonded in love.

The end.

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Acknowledgments: Thank you to Lyn for the beta and for her constant encouragement and friendship -"Sisters by birth; Friends by choice." Thank you to Corinne and Nicci for the lovely artwork.