Work Text:
Leaving
by Debbie
"Can't I talk you into staying, Chief?"
"I'm afraid not, Jim. I mean look at me... I'm almost forty years old and I am still living in a spare room under the stairs of my sentinel's loft apartment. How pathetic is that?"
"I wouldn't call it pathetic, Chief. I'd call it devoted, caring, loyal, and persistent. You've stayed by my side while others have abandoned me. If you hadn't of stayed, I would hate to think where I would be. I probably wouldn't have been able to survive. You gave me back my life when I thought I was at the end of my rope. My senses were driving me crazy. You stayed by my side despite the way I treated you. I'm just surprised you were here this long. I understand your desire to stretch your wings and explore the big world out there."
"Jim, I won't be abandoning you. You know that, right? I mean, I made the commitment all those years ago to become your official partner. I endured the academy, the pranks when I joined the force and even the well-wishers in Major Crime when they gave me
that 'welcome back' party. If I planned to abandon you, I would have done it after the dissertation leak. I could have left Cascade and no one would have been able to find me, not even you. And it's not as if I'm moving out of the city or even across town. It's just
downstairs, Jim. How about this -- I'll come up every morning for breakfast and every evening for dinner, unless we have other commitments. Does that satisfy you?"
"I guess it will have to. At least I can still hone in on your heartbeat and breathing."
Blair walked over to Jim and patted him on the chest. "You'll know that I'm fine on my own."
"I would have been able to find you if you left Cascade."
Blair laughed. "Sure, Jim. Just keep telling yourself that. Remember, I taught you everything you know and I know all the tricks."
Jim frowned. "You mean you would intentionally try to trick me?"
"No, Jim. Not any more, but back when I was young and foolish, the thought did cross my mind. But if I had done that, then I wouldn't have helped you. It was totally against my nature to do something like that."
"So, no tricks?" Jim held onto Blair's arm.
Blair gently released Jim's hold on his arm. He looked directly into Jim's eyes. "No tricks, Jim. I'm your partner, both with the police department and with your sentinel abilities. Understand?"
"I understand, Chief. I was just checking to make sure."
"Good. Now that we've cleared that up, are you going to help me move into my new apartment?"
"Yeah. We can take my truck and go pick up the things you bought at the used furniture store."
"Thanks, Jim. I know this isn't what you wanted to do on your weekend off, but..."
"But nothing, Chief. At least I know you won't be living in a warehouse next to a drug operation."
"You're just never going to let me live that down, are you?"
"Observation, Sandburg. It's the mark of a great detective, or even an average anthropologist."
"Average! I'll have you know that in the day, I was a top-notch anthropologist! Rainier even wanted me to come back!" Blair's arms were flailing around.
Jim grabbed Blair's arms and held them. "I was joking, Sandburg! Calm down before you have an attack! Still, being a keen observer, I would have thought you knew."
"In my defense, I wasn't there all that much, except to sleep, on the rare occasions I did sleep. Ah, those were the days! I could go nonstop for days at a time!"
"And risk your health and well-being. At least I've cured you of that nasty habit."
"You have been a great influence on me, Jim. I guess we've been good for each other."
"Just the way partners should be. Let's get moving or the day will be over before we know it."
They left the loft side by side, sure of their partnership as well as their friendship.
end