Work Text:
Thanks, Jim
by slery
12/30/00
As the helicopter dipped and turned again Blair squeezed his eyes shut and tried to regulate his breathing. The Sentinel could hear the shallow breaths as the rapid heartbeat increased another notch.
"You all right?" He glanced at his guide.
"Yeah, fine, Jim." Blair lied to his sentinel. *Can't let a little panic attack disrupt the pursuit of a criminal. Man, how do I get myself into these things.*
~~~~~~~~~~
Sandburg disappeared as soon as the chopper landed and Ellison rushed over to get Tommy.
After wrapping things up, "Captain, where's Sandburg?"
"How should I know? He's your partner. I haven't seen him since we landed. Maybe he's somewhere staying out of the way."
Jim glared at the older man, "That's what I'm afraid of. He wasn't acting normal."
"Oh, come on Jim. Sandburg never acts normal."
Jim ignored Simon's comment and went off in search of his friend. The young man wouldn't have gone far without saying something. Extending his hearing, he located Blair around the corner of a building in the alley. Jim quickly jogged over to his friend when he heard the rapid staccato heartbeat and labored gasps for breath.
~~~~~~~~~~
Kneeling in front of his guide, Jim took in Blair's appearance. Blair was sitting on the ground with his knees drawn up to his chest. Jim reached over and lifted Blair's chin so he could look into his friend's eyes. The young man was pale as a ghost, gasping for breath, with a wild, terrified look in
his eyes.
"What's going on, Chief?"
"I . . . I'm s-s-sorry, Jim."
Confused by his friend's apology. "For what?"
Dropping his head back onto his knees, Blair began rocking again. "For not h-h-holding it together."
"What are you talking about? You were great, especially with the carrots comment." Jim chuckled a little, but it couldn't dispel his worry.
"The chopper . . . it . . . it was just . . . too much." Blair started rocking even faster.
"Oh, god, Blair!" The sentinel was shocked. His guide was having a panic attack and it was his fault. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have made you get in the helicopter."
"No, Jim. You didn't make m-me. I'm your guide. You n-needed me. I s-should have been able to handle it."
Jim couldn't believe what he was hearing. The guide had gone beyond his limits for his sentinel. He had to do something now to calm Blair down before he hyperventilated. "Blair, I'm so sorry. I didn't even think about the heights. Simon could have covered for you on this one." Reaching over
and squeezing Blair's shoulder. "Calm down, Chief. Breath with me, in . . . out . . . in . . . out. That's it, slow breathes."
"That's just great, Jim! Hey, Simon, can you cover for Blair? You know, he has this thing about heights. We'll just leave him behind since he can't handle the job and all." Blair was seething now.
*Well, at least he's calmed down now. A little on the angry side but hey, I, the sentinel, throwback-to-a-pre-civilized-man, just handled an emotional crisis.* "Feel better, Chief?" Jim smiled at his friend.
"Yeah." He tried to glare at the older man.
"Good. I need backup on some paperwork back at the station." Jim offered Blair a hand up off the ground.
Sentinel and guide headed off into the sunset. All was well with the tribe again.
THE END
PS I need feedback, but no wisecracks about the last line. :P