SquidgeWorld Archive

Fault
By PattRose
Summary: Naomi is in town and wonders why Blair seems angry with her.
Genre: Pre-slash (Some first time kissing involved.)
Warnings: angst
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 1784
Sentinel Thursday Challenge: #544: Circle
A/N: This is because of Sentinel Chat. Blame it all on them.
A/N2: I'm writing this for Afrieal from AO3. She deserves a story for all she has been reading. Thank you for being such a loyal reader.

Fault

Blair had been working in Major Crimes as a paid consultant for about six months. He enjoyed his job very much. He got to work with everyone and they all seemed to be happy to have him help them with cases. After the fiasco with the dissertation, he didn't know what he was going to do. He needn't have worried, Simon had it all figured out as soon as he realized that Blair didn't want to carry a gun and be a cop. Blair loved police work, he just didn't want to be a cop. He was better at figuring out who did what and not having to deal with the people at all. Jim had told him how glad he was to have him still by his side. So Blair was very happy.

That night when he drove home, he saw Jim's truck in the parking lot already and figured, he must have got out of court early. He got upstairs and heard Jim talking to someone, but couldn't make out the other voice. It sounded like a woman. Blair frowned. Don't go getting jealous, he doesn't even know you exsist. He opened the door and walked in to find Jim and Naomi arguing.

Blair cleared his throat to let Naomi know he was there. Jim already knew. Blair could tell.

"Oh sweetie, you're home. I'm so glad to see you," Naomi sang out as she waltzed across the room and hugged her surprised son. "Isn't it wonderful that I'm here? It's New Year's Eve and I wanted to celebrate with you."

"Gee, Mom. I wish you would have called. We sort of have plans," Blair answered, knowing she didn't care anyway.

"What do you mean you have plans? They are more important than you and me being together and having a good talk?" She had her hands on either side of her waist by then and was raring for an argument.

"We're going to Simon's. We made the plans two weeks ago. I wouldn't have made plans if I knew you were coming, but I didn't, so I made them. You're welcome to come along if you would like."

"Chief, I don't think your mother wants to go and spend an evening with all of the cops."

"You couldn't be more right, Jim. I want Blair to stay home and celebrate with me," she answered.

"I want to go with Jim to Simon's house. I'm sorry Mom, but that's how I feel."

"Blair, what is this nonsense about you working at the station? You're a born teacher and scholar. You don't belong hanging out with a bunch of cops."

Blair turned to her and said as calmly as he could. "Mom, every time I deal with you it's like a vicious circle. I can't do anything right, Jim can't do anything right. I can't go back to teaching but yet you don't like my job choice. Do you know how hard it was for Simon to get me that job? He went to bat for me and fought like a soldier. Yes, I do want to hang out with the cops and I do like my job and no, I don't want to spend New Year's with you."

Naomi turned to Jim and asked, "Are you happy now, Jim? You've gotten exactly what you wanted and destroyed my son in one felled swoop."

Jim was trying to contain his anger, but it couldn't be controlled. "Naomi, please get your things and leave. You're not welcome here. You're upsetting Blair."

"Oh for God's sake, you act like you're in love with him or something..."

Jim blushed and Blair of course caught that.

"Oh my God, you're sleeping with my son?" Jim had a very angry Naomi on his hands.

Jim started to pace and almost whispered, "I told myself my resolution for the New Year would be to tell Blair how I feel about him. You've ruined that moment for me, thank you very much."

"Jim, don't sell yourself so short. The moment isn't ruined at all. I would like to discuss our future after my mother leaves. Mom, you are welcome back when you learn that I'm not a child any longer that you can control. In the meantime, there is a Red Roof Inn down the road and they would be happy to take your money."

"Blair, honey. I can't believe you are taking his side on this. You of all people know you don't belong there. You're better than they are," she spat out.

Blair threw back his head and laughed. "For two months I looked for a job and couldn't find anything thanks to you. No one thought I was better than anyone, Naomi. Then I found out from Jim that Simon had gone to bat for me at the station. I had no idea. My heart and soul swelled with pride, love and affection for everyone that I work with. I'm not better than them, Naomi, I'm one of them."

"You can't blame me for doing what any mother would do for the betterment of their child."

"I can and I do, Naomi. It's your fault. You've never taken responsibility for it, but it's true. If it wasn't for you, I would be a teacher now and Jim wouldn't have had his life ripped apart. But this is where it gets sort of weird. I really love being part of Major Crimes. I know it doesn't make you happy, but I don't care what makes you happy, just as you didn't care about me when you did what you did."

Naomi was furious. "Jim didn't even think it was my fault. He blamed you if you remember right."

"I know that and we've worked it all out, Mom. And it is your fault. Take responsibility for it so I can move on and maybe you can too."

Naomi started getting on her jacket, picked up her purse along with her suitcase and went to the front door. "I'm not coming back, Blair. I didn't raise you to be a cop."

"I'm not a cop. You don't even know what I do, do you?" Blair was just as furious as she was.

"I know that you must do paperwork and run errands. What else could you do?"

Jim walked over to her and asked, "You think I would let him have a job that thought so little of his abilities? He's a paid consultant. When we can't figure out what's going on with a case we take it to him and he spins his magic and gives us a place to start. We would all be lost without him. I can't believe you think so little of me or of Blair. Leave now, please?"

Naomi turned to Blair and said, "I won't be coming back, Blair..."

"I'm sorry about that, Naomi. I think you will when this passes, but until then I have no room in my life for the negativity. I would think you would understand that more than anyone else. Stay in town for a week or so and see if you can't come to terms with this. I would like to have my mother in my life, but only on my terms. Goodbye, Naomi." Blair opened the door and Naomi walked out. He shut the door and locked it and found himself in Jim's good, strong arms.

Jim wanted Blair to know he was there for him no matter what. Blair looked up at Jim's worried face and smiled, tearfully and said, "I could use a kiss."

"I could give you one," Jim said as he kissed Blair very tenderly. When he pulled away they were both smiling.

"I should be heart-broken, but instead I'm horny. The things you do to me, Jim. It's all your fault."

"We're not doing anything more than that kiss until we straighten out this mess with your mom. It has to work out, Blair. She's your mom. You can't just cut her from your life and expect to be happy about it."

Blair touched Jim's hard chest and said, "Nothing, until I make up with my mom?"

"That's right."

"Shit. Let's stop at the Red Roof Inn on the way home tonight from the party. And by the way, my resolution for this next year was to tell you I loved you."

Jim pulled Blair back into his arms and kissed him again. "That deserved a kiss. Maybe even more. But tonight, we're focusing on the party and your mom."

"Works for me, Jim. Let me eat something before we go to Simon's house."

Jim smiled and said, "Guess who's at the door?"

"Oh for Pete's sake, I'm never going to get to eat tonight."

Jim laughed and said, "You answer the door and I'll make you a salad. I already ate when I got home."

Blair opened up the door and found a teary-eyed Naomi looking so forlorn. "I'm so sorry, Blair. I can't live without you in my life."

"This is what I was talking about, Naomi. A vicious circle all the time," Blair teased.

She hugged him hard and said, "I would like to go with you and Jim tonight."

"Good. Do you want to eat salad with me before we go? Jim is making one for me right now," Blair asked.

"I would love one, and then I would like to hear more about your new job, sweetie."

"I would like to tell you all about it. It's a kick ass job, Naomi. You would be proud of me."

She hugged him again and said, "I've always been proud of you. That's what got me in this in the first place. I'm taking responsibility for my actions, Blair. If it wasn't for me, you'd be teaching right now."

Jim put both salads down on the table and as they sat down, Jim said, "He has a chance to teach a class or two at the police academy too. So he will be doing what he was born to do."

"Now, first tell me how long you boys have been dancing around each other?"

They all laughed and Blair knew things were going to be just fine.

The end