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The sentinel stood on the balcony at twilight, eyes scanning the city visible from his perch above the city. Christmas Eve didn't slow his city down any. The temperatures had dropped and a light dusting of snow had given way to hopes for a white Christmas as it kept falling. The city was decorated with red and green, twinkling white lights and evergreen trees of all sizes. He could hear a thousand different Christmas carols as they were sung from stores, cars, shoppers. Church bells were ringing, tinkling with their own Christmas melody. He took a deep breath, let himself smell a thousand variations of pine, vanilla, holly, baking pies and cakes. The normal smell of the city fell away when he pursued the new scents rising around him.
His enjoyment of the Christmas smells was interrupted by the screech of tires not quite catching on the wet and slick pavement and the tinkle of headlights as they impacted the tail of another car. He absently picked up his cell phone and called in the accident, giving the patrols a warning about the icy intersection. His eyes followed a jet as it lifted off the runway, banking out over the water and finally disappearing into the clouds. The engines of another 737 spooled up as it started its take-off run and Jim watched that one, noticing the faces of the cockpit crew as they concentrated on their duties.
Behind him, he heard Blair's keys in the door and the soft step of rubber soled shoes on the wood floors. He heard the keys hit the basket, the rustle of cloth as Blair slipped his coat off and hung it on the peg. Jim followed the sounds of his lover as the younger man heeled off his shoes, then padded in sock feet to the stove and turned on the tea kettle.
"You want tea, Jim, or coffee?" Blair's voice wafted to him through the open balcony doors. Jim came back inside, closing the doors firmly behind him. "Coffee would be nice." He stepped around the Christmas tree that blocked part of the balcony doors and plugged in the lights, letting the soft lights from dozens of tiny bulbs light the loft. He hadn't noticed how dark it'd gotten while he'd been watching his city. Jim turned on the stereo and a CD started playing Christmas carols softly in the background.
"How's the city?" Blair poured Jim's coffee and brought him a mug. The two men stood side by side, watching the Christmas lights and the star with its lights running from point to point. Blair nestled in under Jim's arm when the larger man draped it over his shoulder.
"Peaceful for a change. Things are beginning to slow down a little. The snow is helping. If you're not ready for Christmas by now, it's too late." He looked down at his partner and met the dark blue eyes looking up at him. He dropped a light kiss on the high forehead. "You okay with the Christmas stuff? I know we didn't do much for Chanukah." "Yes, we did. You held my hand each night as I lit my menorah. You listened as I told you why it was important, the miracle it represented. I didn't expect that." Blair snuggled closer, wrapping a long arm around Jim's waist.
Jim tightened his grip, then relaxed. They'd struggled so much to get to this point in their relationship. Four years of dancing around each other, and finally they'd taken the plunge. It'd taken his partner's death, then two spirit animals merging to bring him back, to make them really start to talk to each other. The final push had been Blair's dismissal from the university and the teacher remaking himself into a cop. Now, months later, they were together in every meaning of the word, and were looking at the new century with optimism.
"So, what are we doing for Christmas Eve? I didn't rent any movies or anything." Blair's eyes were on the tree again, and the gifts piled under it. "Want to just light a fire and watch the lights?"
Jim finished his coffee. "Why don't you get the camping pad and sleeping bag. Let's take our coffee outside and watch the city and snow for awhile. I was just enjoying the night, you know?"
Blair pulled out of his lover's arms for a second. "Really? How were you enjoying the night?"
"You know." Jim cuffed his partner lightly on the head, then pulled Blair back into his arms. "Just .. letting everything in, sorting it out, really hearing and seeing the city."
"That is so cool. I envy you sometimes."
"Get the stuff while I fix us some hot chocolate. Then, if you're a good little boy, I might tell you what I hear and see." Jim drifted his hand through the short curls. "Better grab your hooded jacket. Wouldn't want your ears to get cold." Jim bent down and kissed one ear. Blair turned his head and kissed his Sentinel's jaw. "I'll get the sleeping bag."
In a few minutes they were nestled on the balcony, a thick camping pad under them, a sleeping bag draped and tucked around them. The snow was falling heavier, heavy, thick, wet flakes blanketing the city, muffling the sound of the traffic below them.
Jim pulled Blair into his lap and wrapped his arms around the smaller waist. He snuggled his chin on the broad shoulder. "I can hear carols, Chief. Want to know how many?" Blair nodded and leaned into his lover's strong body. The sentinel started pointing out the location of each group of sounds he heard. Together, sentinel and guide watched and listened to their tribe as the night deepened toward the holiday morning.
End