{"id":111,"date":"2011-08-27T14:38:57","date_gmt":"2011-08-27T14:38:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.squidge.org\/walterh\/?p=111"},"modified":"2011-08-27T14:38:57","modified_gmt":"2011-08-27T14:38:57","slug":"archiving-old-fic-the-ring-the-sentinel-jimblair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.squidge.org\/walterh\/2011\/08\/archiving-old-fic-the-ring-the-sentinel-jimblair\/","title":{"rendered":"Archiving Old Fic &#8211; The Ring &#8211; The Sentinel &#8211; Jim\/Blair"},"content":{"rendered":"<pre>~*~*~*~\r\nTitle: The Ring\r\nAuthor\/pseudonym: Squidgie (Walter H. Hopgood)\r\nEmail address: walterh@squidge.org\r\nRating: PG-13\r\nPairings: J\/B\r\n\r\nStatus: NEW\r\nDate: 2\/28\/98\r\nArchive: YES to Merry and Michelle\r\nArchive author: Squidgie\r\nArchive email address: walterh@squidge.org\r\nSeries\/Sequel: Part of the Panda series \r\nOther website: http:\/\/www.meer.net\/~walterh\/walter\/\r\n\r\nDisclaimers: I don't own Jim or Blair - they're owned by UPN and Pet\r\nFly. However, I *do* make many trips up to Vancouver, and if the\r\nboys just happen to make their way back home with me in my suitcase,\r\nI promise to send them back relatively unharmed. :)\r\n\r\nNotes: This is dedicated to my Panda.  This story is the second in a\r\nseries called \"The Panda Series.\"  Each story is a standalone, but \r\ncontains a panda in some way.  The first of this series was titled\r\n\"The Bear.\"  Big old bear-hugs to you, ShelBear!  You're a great\r\ninfluence on me, and a wonderful editor!  This is my second\r\nSentinel story.  Feedback is wanted desperately (or I'll send you \r\nan email chain letter!  Bwahahahahahaha!!!)\r\n\r\nSummary: It's just a Jim and Blair story\r\n\r\nWarnings: None, unless you don't like romance.  There is no sex in\r\nthis, but there is a steamy scene.  :)\r\n~*~*~*~\r\n\r\nThe blue and white truck pulled off of the road, turning into the\r\nparking lot of a convenience store.  \"Sure, Chief, whatever.  When they\r\nstart carrying whole wheat, organic Twinkies at Whole Foods, I'll\r\nbuy them there.  Until then,\" Jim pulled his keys from the ignition,\r\nturning to Blair and giving him a flat expression, \"after you buy\r\ngroceries, I get to stop here and pick up my junk food.\"\r\n\r\nA sigh escaped Blair's lips.  \"Man, don't you know how *bad* those\r\nthings are for you?  Think about what that crap is doing to your\r\ninsides, Jim!\"\r\n\r\nJim's face lit up with an innocent smile.  \"Yeah, but it keeps me\r\nlooking young, Chief.\"  When Blair's face threw an expression that\r\ncould only mean, \/Yeah, right\/, Jim narrowed his eyes at him, sending\r\nimaginary daggers right through Blair.  \r\n\r\nOblivious to the invisible blades penetrating his person, Blair continued\r\non with his tirade as they made their way in and through the store.  \r\n\"Jim, you heard about the latest findings about what preservatives are \r\ndoing to us, haven't you?  Did you know that the average corpse is \r\ndegrading at a rate that is 53 percent slower than corpses from the 19th \r\ncentury?  And-\"\r\n\r\n\"Blair!\" Jim almost yelled, \"I don't really need to know this.  But\r\nwhat I *do* need,\" he said while grabbing a few packs of Hostess'\r\nfinest, \"is my own little version of heaven.  Besides you, that is,\"\r\nand shot a smile to his partner that showed he'd won, and Blair's\r\nversion of healthy cardboard \"treats\" were not long in finding their\r\nway to the dumpster.\r\n\r\nBlair wished that Jim wouldn't do that.  It was hard enough that through\r\nthe course of the last couple of years that he'd fallen head over heels\r\nin love with him, with a healthy amount of lust thrown in for good measure.  \r\nBut when Jim teased him, unknowing of his teasing's effects, it made \r\nBlair's desire ache that much more.  It did, however, have the desired \r\neffect that Jim was going for.  Blair became flabbergasted at the remark \r\nand had stopped his health food tirade.\r\n\r\nThe pair made their way up to the checkout counter, which was now\r\na couple of people deep.  The clerk spotted them over the ten year\r\nold, who's icy drink was dripping all over the counter and the change\r\nhe spilled out of his pocket to pay for the beverage, and shot\r\nan instant smile towards Jim.  \/Your day's looking up, Delores\/ she \r\nthought, \/Your sexy detective is here.\/  Delores had a thing for\r\nthe cop that started the day he walked in wearing his dress blues.\r\nHer suggestive smile beamed at him, her eyes not hiding a bit of\r\ndesire.  Jim, never the one to take flirting well, blushed a deep \r\ncrimson when her made up eyelid winked at him.\r\n\r\n\"She want's ya, big guy,\" Blair whispered to him, which made him blush\r\neven deeper.  \r\n\r\n\"Knock it off, Ch-\"\r\n\r\n\"DON'T MOVE!\"  The voice came from behind them suddenly.  Everyone in\r\nline's attention was immediately drawn to the young man, pointing a\r\ngun at the crowd.  The man's eyes seemed desperate, almost wild.\r\n\"Give me all your money!\"  All hands in the line instinctively went\r\nup, as Blair and Jim began to scrutinize the robber, searching for\r\na weakness.  \/Jesus\/ Jim thought to himself.  \/This kid's strung out\r\non something.\/  Seeing this, he knew instinctively to take the situation\r\neasy; don't provoke the kid or he might do something stupid.\r\n\r\nJim began speaking slowly, quietly.  \"It's OK... Why don't you-\"\r\n\r\n\"SHUT UP!  Now give me all the money in the register, and everybody\r\ngive me your wallets.  You!  Behind the counter!  Put it in a bag and\r\npass it this way.\"  The kid was sweating, his eyes darting about and \r\nhands shaking.  He couldn't have been more than eighteen, but scared \r\nand desperate.  His tenseness was echoed by the people he was now\r\nholding up.\r\n\r\nAgain, Jim tried to calm everyone down with a calm, authoritative voice.\r\n\"It's OK, everyone.  Just do as he says and he'll leave us alone.\"  He\r\nreached into his pocket and retrieved his wallet, handing it to the boy\r\nalong with the others that were being offered.  Realizing that his \r\nsituation was working as he planned, he began to shake off some of\r\nhis nervousness and reached out to grab the items offered to him.\r\nHands shaking just slightly, he took too big a handful, dropping a\r\ncouple to the ground.\r\n\r\n\"SHIT!\" He exclaimed, pointing the gun directly at Jim.  Jim looked down,\r\nrealizing it was his wallet that had fallen, opening up and displaying\r\nhis badge prominently.  The gun, aimed directly at Jim's head, was\r\nshaking violently.  \"You a cop?\" he asked, the meekness of his conviction\r\nshowing in his voice.\r\n\r\nJim didn't even get to utter the words.  As he began to form the word \"Yes\" \r\non his lips, shaking his head affirmative to the question, the boy panicked\r\nand grabbed the person nearest him, treating him as a shield between him\r\nand the cop.  The money forgotten, he tried to back away from the group,\r\nall the while holding his captive close to his body.\r\n\r\n\/Shit, man, not again.\/ Blair thought to himself.  He kept his arms up as\r\nthe robber held him by the neck, backing slowly toward the door of the \r\nconvenience store.  His eyes locked onto Jim, his arms also still in the\r\nair, and conveyed his panic back to Jim.  Blair and the robber were about\r\nfive feet away from the group, when the noise of an oblivious teenager\r\ncoming through the main door startled them.  The thief flung around and \r\nshot the gun toward the sound of the noise, sending him and Blair off\r\nbalance.  \r\n\r\nThis slight distraction was all Jim needed.  He lunged at the thief as\r\nsoon as he began to turn in a desperate attempt to control the situation.\r\nHe landed on the robber, who's arms flailed, sending the gun one direction\r\nand Blair the other.  As Jim and the thief landed on the ground with a\r\nthud, Blair's forehead connected with the corner of a display table with\r\nan eerie crack, his body falling to the floor unconscious.  Panic took \r\nover in Jim's thoughts as he flew into Blessed Protector mode for his\r\nguide - *his Blair*.  \"Blair!?\" he called, as the young man beneath him\r\nbegan to stir and fuss, reality coming back to him.  He asserted his\r\nentire weight down on the robber, adjusting only to flip the boy over,\r\nyanking the boy's arms behind his back harshly.  \"BLAIR?\" he yelled \r\nagain, inflicting pain on the robber by pulling his arms even higher, as if\r\npunishment for what he'd done.  With all the confusion and noise, it\r\ntook all his available strength and concentration to force out everything\r\naround him - the groaning robber beneath him, the crying child who had\r\nbeen at the front of the line, the sound of a police siren that was now\r\nabout two blocks away, everything - and focus on the heartbeat of his\r\nguide.  There it was.  It was still beating at a rapid pace, but it was\r\nthere.  \r\n\r\nJim breathed somewhat easier, and turned to the woman behind the counter\r\nwho was still standing there, frozen.  \"Did you trip your silent alarm?\"\r\n\r\nThe woman slowly came back to reality, as if in a coma and waking up for\r\nthe first time in years.  She reached under the counter, pressing the\r\nswitch.  \"I..I...I just did.\"\r\n\r\n\/SHIT\/ Jim cursed to himself.  \/That must have been for somewhere else\/\r\nhe thought, wishing the sound of the police car was for the store.  \"Get\r\non the phone and call for an ambulance!  Tell them it's an officer down.\"\r\nJim knew he stood the chance of getting written up, but Sandburg *was* his\r\npartner, and after two years on the force, most of the cops treated him\r\nas close to a cop as they could.  He *was* one of their own, at least in\r\nJim's eyes.  Another struggle of the body below him brought his attention\r\nback to the young robber.  \"Do you have any rope or anything back there?\"\r\n\r\nThe clerk turned to hang up the phone and shook her head at Jim.  As soon \r\nas the phone was in it's cradle, she moved to the sink behind her and turned\r\nthe water on, letting it wet a washcloth in the sink.  She rang it out\r\nand went to Blair, who was just barely starting to stir.  Jim blocked\r\nthe smell of blood as best he could, and watched the woman dab at the\r\ncrimson stained gash on Blair's forehead, cooing over him slightly.  \r\n\"Shhh... It's gonna be fine,\" she spoke quietly to Blair.  She wiped\r\naway as much blood as the thin, well-worn cloth could handle, then\r\npatted Blair on the chest before getting up to rinse it out and freshen\r\nit up.  Jim couldn't stand not being able to help his guide, but took\r\na little comfort in the aid the clerk was providing.\r\n\r\nBlair began to move gently, a moan escaping his lips.  He drew his hands\r\nup toward his head, speaking in a voice barely audible to even a\r\nSentinel's hearing.  \"Jim?\"  His hand touched his bleeding wound,\r\nwincing in pain as he did so.  \"Oh, man...\"\r\n\r\n\"Don't move, Chief,\" Jim demanded.  \"You took a nasty fall.\"  The clerk\r\nknelt again at Blair's side, dabbing his head and held the cloth\r\nin place to slow the bleeding.  \"Just take it easy,\" he added as police\r\nand an ambulance pulled up outside.  \r\n\r\nRaising his arms to his sides and pushing himself up, Blair tried to\r\nforce his back from the floor.  \"I'm fine, Jim,\" he added woozily.\r\n\"I don't need to-\"\r\n\r\n\"Forget it, Chief.  You're going to get checked out by the docs, so lay\r\ndown or as soon as I get off this guy, I'll come sit on you and hold *you* \r\ndown.\"  Jim shot a smile to his partner.\r\n\r\n\"Promises, promises,\" Blair added, weakly, and collapsed back on the\r\nfloor.\r\n\r\nThere was a flurry of activity as Jim handed off the thief to the\r\nofficers, all the while keeping at least his hearing on Blair and\r\nthe EMTs who were caring for him.  He noted all the readings that\r\nthey had been doing, showing Blair's vitals had all been within\r\nnormal parameters.  Jim told the arresting officer that he'd be in\r\nto fill out the paperwork Monday; this was his day off, and with\r\nthat, turned his full attention to Blair.\r\n\r\n\"Jim, *please* tell them that I'm fine.  I'm just a little weak.  I\r\ncan rest at home.\"\r\n\r\nJim snorted a cautious laugh.  \"No can do, Chief.  Boys?\" he looked\r\nat the EMTs, \"You may have to strap him in,\" which brought a\r\nlaugh from the technicians.  \"Chief?  You do as they say.  I'm going\r\nto get the groceries home, then come to the hospital and check on\r\nyou, OK?\"  As much as Jim wanted to ride with Blair and the EMTs,\r\nhis Blessed Protector mode doing overtime, he also didn't want to\r\nfreak Blair out.  He looked fine, and was fine from what they'd\r\ntold him.\r\n\r\n\"I *told* you I'm just a little weak.  I'll be....\" Blair's face went\r\nblank, and his head hit the small pillow with a light thud.  His eyes\r\nrolled back into his head, and his body began to tremble, each limb\r\nconvulsing violently. \r\n\r\n\"CHIEF?!!?\" Jim yelled, bringing the technician's full attention back\r\nto Blair.\r\n\r\n\"Shit!  Grand Malle.\"  The first EMT called as he grabbed Blair's head\r\nand held it back.  \"Robert, get me a mouth plate!\"  The second EMT flew\r\nback out to the ambulance as panic covered Jim's face.\r\n\r\n\"What can I do?\" Jim asked the EMT, his panic showing in his voice\r\nas it did on his face.\r\n\r\n\"Hold his legs.\"  Robert, the second EMT, ran back in the store, handing \r\nthe instrument to the first EMT.  Jim watched as it was inserted into \r\nBlair's mouth as Blair's body continued to convulse.  \"Does he have a \r\nhistory of seizures?\"\r\n\r\nJim shook his head.  \"No.  This is the first.\"  Jim watched as Robert\r\nhooked each set of straps from the side of the stretcher around Blair's\r\nbody, wrapping him into a medical cocoon.  \"Did his fall cause this?\"\r\n\r\n\"I can't tell.  Let's roll.\"  The pair moved Jim out of the way and \r\nbrought the stretcher to it's standing position, and quickly made\r\nthrough the door and to the ambulance.  \r\n\r\nIn an instant Jim was running after the pair, climbing into the cab of \r\nthe ambulance.  Robert turned to him, not knowing the full extent of\r\nthe pair.  \"Are you his next of kin?\"\r\n\r\nA shot of pain ran through Jim's body at the words, and he winced\r\nslightly.  \"I'm his partner,\" he offered firmly.  His eyes told the\r\ndriver not to question him, just let him ride.\r\n\r\n\"Fine,\" Robert added while reaching for the microphone.  \"Just sit back\r\nand stay out of the way.\"  He brought the microphone to his face and\r\nannounced their status.  \"Cascade General, this is Alpha-40...\"\r\n\r\n***\r\n\r\nThe ride to the hospital had been the longest five minutes of Jim's life.\r\nBlair's convulsion had stopped a few blocks from the hospital, but he\r\nwas still out.  Jim's senses were running at full capacity, his \r\nhearing and sight trained on his guide who was strapped down in the\r\nback of the ambulance.  \r\n\r\nJim was climbing out of the vehicle before it had come to a complete stop\r\nat the doors to the emergency room.  He ran to the back of the ambulance\r\nand barely missed a door as it swung open.  The driver, Robert, made\r\nhis way to the open doors and the paramedics worked in tandem, taking\r\nBlair out of the ambulance, rolling him through the doors and toward\r\na room.  Jim followed, listening to the pair give report to a nurse and\r\ndoctor to whom they were handing Blair off.  Before he could enter the\r\nroom, he was met by a nurse in blue scrubs, blocking his entrance.\r\n\"Are you with um, Mister...\" she looked at the paperwork in her hands.\r\n\r\n\"Sandburg,\" Jim replied, almost yelling.  \"I'm his partner.\"\r\n\r\n\"Then what I need you to do,\" she added in a much practiced and almost\r\ncondescending tone, \"Is to go out there,\" she pointed towards the lobby,\r\n\"get him registered, and fill out his paperwork.\"\r\n\r\nA scowl overcame Jim's face, but he knew he was defeated.  He trained\r\nhis hearing on Blair's room, and turned towards the ER lobby, sighing\r\nhis resignation of the situation heavily.  He walked through the double\r\ndoors, and sat in the chair next to the admitting clerk, and started\r\nrattling off Blair's pertinent information to him, all the while alert\r\nto the goings on in Blair's room.  As he heard it, Blair was stable, but\r\nthe doctor wanted several tests to be run to check the extent of his\r\nhead trauma.  \r\n\r\nThe clerk finished entering the essential information into the computer \r\nand handed Jim a stack of paperwork, nodding to a chair in the lobby\r\nin which he could complete it.  As Jim rose, he smiled, hearing his\r\nguide's voice as Blair came to.  He crossed the room, listening\r\nin on the conversation.\r\n\r\n\"Wh.. What happened?  Where's Jim?\"\r\n\r\n\"It's OK, Mister Sandburg.  You hit your head and had a seizure.\" The \r\nvoice was singsong and calming.  \"You're in Cascade General ER and\r\nwe need to run a few-\"\r\n\r\n\"Where's JIM?!\" Blair demanded, rustling the sheets on the gourney.  \r\n\r\n\"Lay back down, Mister Sandburg.  Your partner is out in the lobby.  After\r\nwe've run some tests, we'll let him come back, OK?  But until then,\" more\r\nrustling of the gourney's sheets, \"You have to lay back and let us finish,\r\nOK?  Do you understand, Mister Sandburg?\"\r\n\r\nBlair must have nodded, as the person attending him turned and walked\r\nout of the room.  Under his breath, he muttered, \"Do you understand,\r\n*Mister* *Sandburg*?\"  He lay his head back down, the sound of silky,\r\ndark curls running over the pillow beneath his head.  \"Jim, I know you're\r\nout there, and you're probably listening to me right now.  I'm fine,\r\nso you can stop worrying.\"  Jim smiled quietly to himself.  His guide\r\nseemed to know him quite well.  \"You can take Blessed Protector out of \r\noverdrive now.\"\r\n\r\nA heavy sigh of relief finally passed Jim's lips, and he slumped back\r\nin his chair, finally allowing himself to relax for the first time\r\nsince the incident.  \/God, I don't know what I'd do without my Blair.\/\r\nhe thought.  \/Wait a minute, *my Blair*?  That's the second time...\/\r\nhis thoughts trailed off as to how he was thinking of his partner in\r\na possessive sense.  The lamp of enlightenment had been lit back at the \r\nstore as Blair lay bleeding, when Jim realized he couldn't do anything for\r\nhis partner.  All emotion began to clash within him, as he allowed his\r\ndeep, far hidden feelings to float to the surface.  Yes, *his* Blair.\r\nThe feelings of helplessness had helped chisel the love that he held for\r\nhis partner free from his darkened, closed off heart.  His eyes began\r\nto well with tears as the emotions swirled within his chest.  \/Yes\/\r\nhe finally admitted to himself, \/I'm in love with Blair.\/\r\n\r\nJim wiped the tear from his eye, as the frustration of reality hit\r\nhim hard.  \/Stupid!  You're in love with your straight partner. *STRAIGHT*\/.\r\nHe got up and dropped the forms off to the admitting clerk, and made\r\na quick trip outside.  It had suddenly gotten very stuffy in the lobby,\r\nand he needed space - and time - to deal with his newfound emotions.\r\nOnce in the clean air, he shook his head, as if to force all of the\r\nthoughts into one easy way of dealing with them.  Knowing how futile\r\nthis was, he began to walk.  On one hand, he wanted to rush to Blair's\r\nside and tell him his new found feelings.  That's what Blair would want,\r\nright?  But reality kept stomping the idea down, telling him that he had\r\na damn good thing right now, and not to blow it.  Jim laughed to himself\r\nat his sudden pun.  \"God, Ellison, what are you gonna do?\"\r\n\r\nJim looked up to the sky, as if for guidance, and it came raining down\r\non him in buckets.  The sky was a beautiful blue, immediately reminding\r\nhim of his partner's eyes and the soul that prowled beneath them.  He\r\nknew that was something he never wanted to lose, so he made a promise to\r\nhimself.  He could love his guide, but only from afar.  He had to hide\r\nhis true emotions from Blair, lest he find out and leave Jim forever.\r\nJim shuddered at the thought - he didn't think he could handle that.\r\n\"Do what you gotta do, Jimmy,\" he said quietly to himself.  \"Just don't \r\nlose him.\" With a heavy sigh, Jim turned back to the emergency room, \r\nand walked slowly back.\r\n\r\nThe closer he got, the better he could hear his guide's heartbeat.  He\r\nwalked back into the ER, and started to make his way to his original\r\nseat, still focused on Blair's room.  There were other people with him\r\nnow, discussing the further tests needed to be done.  He heard Blair \r\nspeak.  \"No way, man.  I don't *want* an MRI.  Those things freak me \r\nout, man.\"  Jim knew his partner was frightened by the edge in his voice. \r\n\r\n\"Mister Sandburg, you really shoul-\"\r\n\r\nJim was brought back quickly by the woman making her way to him.  \r\n\"Mister Ellison?\"  He suppressed a flinch as the closness of the voice \r\nbombarded him, and mentally turned down his hearing.\r\n\r\n\"Yes?\"  He replied, trying to be casual.\r\n\r\nThe nurse motioned her hand towards the double doors, through where his \r\npartner was.  \"You can come back and see him now.\"\r\n\r\n\"Thanks,\" Jim muttered, and headed straight for Blair's room.  He rounded\r\nthe corner in near record time and came to stand just outside of the\r\nroom.  He knocked quietly as he entered, trying not to disturb the\r\nconversation taking place too much.  \"Chief?\"\r\n\r\nA pair of the bluest eyes he had ever seen met his, threatening to steal\r\nhis breath.  \"Jim!  Thank god you're here.  They want to do an MRI, man.\r\nI don't think I can handle it.\"\r\n\r\nJim took his place at Blair's side, opposite the doctor, touching his\r\nleg gently.  \"I don't know, Doc.  I tend to agree.  He can barely sit\r\nstill through a movie.\" He ignored the glare the was now beaming at him.\r\n\"I don't know how he'll be able to be still for an MRI.\"\r\n\r\n\"Well, like it or not, he has to have one.  Mister Sandburg,\" he turned\r\nto Blair, \"seizures don't just come about for no reason.  I want to make\r\nsure that there's no scarring, no permanent damage.\"\r\n\r\n\"Too late,\" Jim added wryly, earning him yet another glare.  \"Blair, I'll\r\nbe right there.  You'll be fine.  There's nothing to worry about.\"  Jim\r\nrealized his hand was still on Blair's shin, rubbed it in a comforting\r\nmotion, and withdrew it easily, as to not call attention to it.  For\r\nBlair, this was too late.  Jim's touch had been electric, as it always\r\nwas.  He silently prayed to all the gods he could remember *not* to get\r\nexcited, not to let the electric touch of Jim's hand get to him, but a cool \r\nbreeze gave his body other ideas.  As he tried to mentally turn his emotions \r\noff, the breeze caressed his chest, his shirt unbuttoned and laying open, \r\ncausing his nipples to harden in an instant.  Blair tried to casually \r\nadjust himself, hiding it as a motion of giving in to the doctor's wishes.\r\n\r\n\"OK, I'll do it,\" he admitted, leaning forward to cover his nipples and \r\nminutely adjust the hardness in his jeans.  He turned to his partner.\r\n\"Just promise me you'll be there, man.\"\r\n\r\nJim was momentarily caught off guard, his sense of smell suddenly\r\npummeled by... pheromones?  There was the distinctive smell of Blair\r\nwith a new smell that challenged this senses as well as his thoughts\r\nabout his roommate.  \"You got it, Chief,\" he added, trying not to be too \r\nconspicuous as he continued to investigate the odor.\r\n\r\n***\r\n\r\n\"Take off all your clothes, and put this on.\"  Hearing this in any other\r\nsituation would normally intrigue Blair, turning him on if it were\r\nthe right person saying it.  But not now.  \"Your jewelry, too.  \r\nMister Ellison and I will go into the booth.\"  Hospital gown now handed\r\nover to Blair, the radiology technician turned to Jim, motioning\r\nhim to the door.  \"Once you're undressed, let me know.  We'll go through\r\nthis door over here,\" he pointed to the door that led to the MRI scanning\r\nroom, \"and I'll get you situation for the scan.\"  He turned back to\r\nJim.  \"After you, Mister Ellison.\"\r\n\r\n\/Damn.\/ Jim thought as he made his way out of the changing room.  \/Gonna \r\nmiss the show.\/  His newfound feelings were still raging within him, now\r\nfed with the thoughts of his guide, naked and so close to him.  Jim \r\nentered the MRI control booth, then turned to the technician standing\r\nnext to the door where Blair was.  \"Where do you want me?\"\r\n\r\n\"Sit anywhere in the back,\" he responded, reaching for the door where\r\nBlair was.  \"Just please don't touch anything.\"  The technician walked\r\nin and escorted Blair into the room with the MRI equipment.  \r\n\r\nJim watched the pair enter the room, and smiled as he caught a whisp\r\nof Blair's bare bottom.  The technician helped Blair up onto the table\r\nand adjusted him to the position necessary for the procedure.  \"OK,\r\njust remember to lie back, take easy breaths, and do *not* move until\r\nwe are through.\"  Instructions given, the technician turned to leave\r\nthe room.\r\n\r\n\"Good luck trying to keep *him* still.\" Jim said quietly to himself,\r\nthankful that he was the one with sentinel abilities and not Blair.  \r\n\r\nThe technician walked in and sat down next to Jim, trying to figure\r\nout what the smirk on Jim's face was all about as he started getting\r\nthe MRI setup and ready to go.  As he performed some final adjustments,\r\nhe flipped on a microphone.  \"Mister Sandburg, can you hear me?\"\r\n\r\n\"Loud and clear,\" came the response.  \"Jim, you out there, man?\"\r\n\r\n\"I'm here buddy.  Just lay back and take it easy, and do as the man\r\nsays, OK?\"\r\n\r\n\"Easy for you to say,\" Blair added quietly.  \"You're not the one that's\r\nstuck here in this damn room.\"\r\n\r\nThe technician, having heard this banter between his patients and their\r\never present guests too often, tuned out the exchange.  \"Mister Sandburg,\r\nare you ready for me to begin?\"\r\n\r\n\"Yeah, I gue- Oh crap!  Wait a minute!\"\r\n\r\nA look of concern played on Jim's face.  \"What is it, Chief?\"\r\n\r\n\"Hey Jim?  Can you come in here a minute?\"\r\n\r\nJim turned toward the technician, as if to ask permission to enter\r\nthe MRI room.  \"Before you go in, Mister Ellison,\" the technician\r\nbegan, handing a small basket to Jim, \"Put your wallet and other\r\nvaluables in here.  You don't want your Visa zapped, do you?\"\r\n\r\nJim complied, piling his wallet and keys into the small container.\r\n\"Anything else?\"  he asked.  The technician passed his hand through\r\nthe air, indicating it was OK for Jim to check on the patient's needs,\r\nand turned back to the console, ready to begin the procedure.  Jim made \r\nhis way into the room, where Blair's hands were fidgeting underneath \r\nhis hospital gown.  \"What's wrong, Blair?  You need some help?\"  Jim \r\nstared intently, trying to figure out what Blair was doing with his \r\nunseen hands.  \"Everything OK?\" \r\n\r\n\"There.  Got it.\"  Blair's hands came out from underneath the cloth\r\nand presented a small silver ring to Jim's outstretched hand.  \"Here.\r\nCan you hold onto this for me?  I forgot to take it off.\"  As the ring\r\ndropped from Blair's hand to Jim's, a huge grin plastered upon Jim's\r\nface.\r\n\r\n\"Jesus, Blair.  I forgot all about your nipple ring.\"  The grin was \r\ncontagious, as it spread to Blair's lips.  \"You got anything else \r\npierced that needs removing?\"\r\n\r\n\"Wouldn't you like to know, big guy!\" Blair replied, his eyebrows \r\nthreatening to escape his forehead if he flung them about any further.\r\nBlair let the feeling go, remembering the promise he made to himself\r\nabout his feelings for Jim.  \/Don't flirt with the straight cop, unless\r\nyou have another place to live.\/\r\n\r\nTaking one last look at Blair's body laid out on the table, Jim walked \r\nout of the room, putting the silver hoop in his pants pocket.\r\n\r\n***\r\n\r\n\"Home sweet home, Chief.\"  Jim stepped aside as he let Blair pass him\r\ninto the loft.  They had left the hospital after a six hour stay had \r\npresented Blair with a clean bill of health.  The doctor told him to\r\ntake it easy for a few days, and to report back if any other problems\r\nrelated to his head trauma came up.  He also asked if Jim would mind\r\nkeeping an eye on his roommate for the next few days, 'just in case'.\r\n\/Like that's going to be difficult.\/  Jim mentally replied to the \r\ndoctor.  \"Here, let's get you settled in,\" he told Blair, steering him\r\ntowards the couch.\r\n\r\n\"Jesus, Jim.  I'm *not* an invalid, you know,\" was the crotchety reply.\r\n\"I'm just a little weak, not helpless.\"\r\n\r\nJim mentally backed off some, as not to press Blair too much.  \"Sure,\r\nChief.  Can I get you something?\"\r\n\r\n\"How about you put a pot of water on to boil?  I've got some herbs \r\nthat'll take some of this swelling away, and take the edge off of\r\nthis headache.\"  Blair sat back on the couch, listening to Jim\r\nmoving about in the kitchen, and tried to cover a yawn.  The entire\r\nhospital ordeal had him tensed, and he just wanted to relax for\r\na while.  \"You want help with those groceries, man?\"  Jim was putting\r\naway their items from their shopping earlier that day.\r\n\r\n\"No thanks.  You just sit back and relax, Chief.  I'll take care of\r\nit *this* time.\"  Jim took a wet hand out of one of the plastic bags,\r\nthe items once frozen were now puddles of cool goo.  \"Shit, I forgot\r\nabout the stuff for the 'fridge.  We're going to have to go back out\r\nto replace some of this stuff.\"\r\n\r\n\"Sure... Let's,\" *yawn*, \"go after a little while, OK?  I just want to\r\nsit back and relax a bit.  That OK?\"  Blair looked over at Jim, who\r\nnodded in agreement.  \"Jesus, it's cold in here.\"  Blair pulled his\r\nhands into the sleeves of his sweater and crossed his arms over his\r\nchest, putting his hands in each armpit to keep it warm.  As the\r\nmaterial stretched over his chest, it stimulated his nipples, causing\r\nthem to become erect.  It was a wonderful feeling, but something seemed\r\nto be missing... \"Oh Jim?  Can I have my ring back, man?\"\r\n\r\nJim's face shot up from the soggy bread he was retrieving from the \r\nbag, images of Blair's naked chest filling his mind.  \"Sure, Chief,\"\r\nhe said, thrusting his hand into his pocket.  \"It's right...\"  Jim\r\nsearched his pocket, but the ring seemed to be missing.  He searched\r\nhis other pocket, then went over to the basket to see if it had\r\ncaught on his key ring.\r\n\r\n\"Oh man, don't tell me you lost it, Jim.  That was my only one!\"  Blair\r\nsat back against the arm of the sofa, as one more bad thing happened\r\nto him.  The ring provided ample stimulation for him, and if he was\r\nto be cooped up for the next couple of days, he was going to need\r\nall the stimulation he could get.  Then again, just being around his\r\nsentinel would give him at least adequate fantasy material for quite\r\na while.  As long as Jim didn't figure out why it was he always took\r\nsuch long showers, he'd be fine in that department.  \/A high water bill\r\njust for the chance to get off\/ He thought, smiling to himself while\r\nwondering where he was going to get another nipple ring.  But the \r\nshower was the only place that he could safely get off, and have the \r\nodor masked almost successfully.  \r\n\r\nJim's face held disappointment, mostly because he'd lost something that\r\nhe had been entrusted with.  But there was a part of it thrown in because\r\nhe wouldn't see Blair with the ring in place.  \"Sorry, Blair.  It must\r\nhave fallen out of my pocket, and I didn't notice.\"\r\n\r\nBlair waved his hand at Jim, passing off the situation.  \"Don't worry \r\nabout it.  I'll get one later.  Right now,\" *yawn* \"I just want to\r\nsleep.\"  Blair put his head back against the arm of the couch and \r\nlet his mind go, releasing the thoughts of the day.  Before he knew\r\nit, he was fast asleep.\r\n\r\nThe bulk of their purchases either put away or tossed out, Jim turned off\r\nthe unneeded kettle of water and tidied up the loft as quietly as he could.  \r\nAs he put some magazines away from the coffee table, he noticed Blair \r\nshivering just slightly, the exposed skin covered in a light dust of goose \r\nflesh.  He went to Blair's room and grabbed one of the heavy blankets from \r\nthe bed, returning to the couch with it, and draped it over his roommate.  \r\n\/God, I can't believe how beautiful he looks when he sleeps.\/  Jim thought, \r\nas the material left his fingers.  He focused on the closed eyes, watching\r\nthem dart back and forth, knowing Blair was dreaming.  He took it all\r\nin, his body threatening to zone on all that was Blair.  When his\r\nroommate adjusted himself fitfully in his sleep, Jim pulled the long,\r\nsilken hair from his face, letting it linger within his hands for\r\na second more than he should.  \/God\/ he thought.  \/I've gotta get \r\nout of here before I attack him in his sleep!\/  Jim left Blair's side\r\nand jotted a note, leaving it next to his sleeping form.  He quietly\r\npicked up his keys, and headed out the door.\r\n\r\n***\r\n\r\nJim finished up the replacement grocery shopping, and was making\r\nhis way back to the loft.  He passed a strip mall a few blocks\r\nfrom the grocery, and noticed a store that, until now, he'd not\r\npaid attention to.  In large red lettering that hung just over the\r\ndoorway, the letters spelled out, \"PIERCING PAGODA\".  Thinking back\r\nto the ring he was charged with, but lost, he pulled into the parking\r\nlot, parked, and strolled into the store.\r\n\r\nA teenage girl, who's perkiness and energy level challenged that of\r\neven Blair's, greeted him as he walked through the doors.  \"Hi! \r\nWelcome to Piercing Pagoda!  Can I help you?\"\r\n\r\nJim's face went flush with slight embarrassment.  In a quiet voice,\r\nso as not to attract attention from the other shoppers or staff, \r\nhe asked, \"Um, do you have any, um, nipple rings?\"\r\n\r\n\"I'm *sorry*,\" was the syrupy reply, loud enough to send an extra pint\r\nor two of blood to Jim's cheeks.  \"We don't do nipple piercing here,\r\nbut I can direct you to-\"\r\n\r\nTotally flustered, Jim stopped her before she dug him in deeper.  \"No\r\nI *don't* want my nipple pierced.  I just want to buy a nipple ring.\"\r\n\r\nThe girl's face lit up, as she realized her mistake.  \"Oh, just a\r\nnipple *ring*.\"  Attention from the entire store, if not the entire\r\nstrip mall, was now fully on Jim.  \"We have a small selection over\r\nhere.  Please follow me.\"  She walked behind the counter, directing\r\nJim to a small collection of thick rings and posts.  \"Which one?\"\r\n\r\nA confused look covered Jim's face.  \"Excuse me?\"\r\n\r\n\"Which one do you have pierced?\"\r\n\r\n\/This girl's got a *big* shovel\/ Jim thought.  Just as he thought he\r\ncouldn't get any deeper - or any redder - this girl rose to the challenge,\r\nand brought home the gold.  Jaw clenched, he replied, \"I don't *have*\r\nmy nipple pierced.  I'm buying this for a *friend*.\"  \/Is it me, or\r\nis the heat up little too high?\/  Jim looked over the selection, finding\r\none that was almost identical to the one he'd lost.  He pulled out his\r\nwallet, then pointed to the ring.  \"I'll take that one.\"\r\n\r\nThe clerk was obviously having a great time at Jim's expense.  \"Woo,\r\nnice one!  Cash, check, or charge?\"\r\n\r\nTotally defeated, Jim handed over a twenty dollar bill, took his \r\nmerchandise and change, and left the store, thoughts of dismemberment\r\nand bodily harm filling his head.  He walked through the doors, trying\r\nto ignore the clerk's final words as he left.\r\n\r\n\"Enjoy!\"\r\n\r\n***\r\n\r\nThe truck pulled up to the loft. Jim grabbed his purchases into his arms, \r\nmaking his way up the stairs.  Taking each step quietly, he focused on the\r\nloft, trying to determine if Blair was awake or not.  He realized that\r\nyes, indeed, Blair was awake, and watching some nature special on\r\ntelevision.  Inserting his key, he opened the door to find Blair still\r\non the couch, engrossed in a documentary.  \"Hey, Chief.  How you feelin'?\" \r\nhe questioned, as he put the bags on the counter.\r\n\r\n\"Pretty good, just tired.  Jim, you should come watch this, man.\"  Jim \r\nshot a quizzed look to Blair on the couch.  \"It's a special on the Giant \r\nPanda.  You know, where they live, mating habits, that kind of thing.\"\r\nBlair grinned to the image of the black and white bear on the screen.\r\n\"I mean, how can you not help but love these guys?\"  Blair looked over\r\nto Jim and nodded his head towards the bags on the counter.  \"Thanks \r\nfor getting the groceries, man.  I owe ya.\"  \r\n\r\n\/Yep, he's fine.  He's back in good old Blair mode.\/  Jim thought as he\r\nbrought his hand out of one of the bags, flashing Blair a pack of Twinkies,\r\na smile on his face.  \"Hey, I had to go get these, anyway,\" he grinned.\r\n\"Not a problem.\"  Jim's mind returned to his final purchase, and his\r\ngrin stretched further.  \"And I even picked something up for you.\"\r\nJim walked over to where Blair was stretched out on the couch and knelt\r\ndown next to him.  \"Here.\"  Jim handed him the silver hoop.\r\n\r\n\"Oh man, thanks!  You didn't have to do that!\"\r\n\r\nJim nodded, watching intently as Blair unbuttoned his shirt.  \"Yeah, I\r\ndid.  I lost it, so I have to replace it.\"  His eyes followed Blair's\r\nhands up his chest, and watched him as he opened the ring, getting it\r\nready to insert.  \"Um, how does it work?\"\r\n\r\nThe tension between the two was thick, and every movement seemed to be\r\nelectric.  Blair saw an opportunity to test the waters.  It seemed that\r\nJim was fascinated by the nipple ring almost to the point of arousal.\r\nPromise or no promise, he wanted to see what Jim's response would be.\r\n\"Here,\" Blair pronounced, grabbing Jim's arm and putting the ring into \r\nthe hand.  \"Try it out.  I've had it a while, so you can't hurt me.\"  \r\n\/Yes he can, Blair.  He freaks and throws you out, and you will most \r\n*definitely* be hurt.\/\r\n\r\nJim's hand shook slightly as he raised it up Blair's chest to the nipple,\r\nnow fully erect.  His left hand followed, cupping the firm pectoral\r\nmuscle, and squeezed it gently, making for a better surface on which\r\nto work.  His forefinger went behind the small part of the ring, and\r\nguided it through the nipple, gently pushing it until the shiny surface\r\nprotruded through the other end.  Pushing it a little farther, he\r\nused his thick fingers to adjust the clasp, until it was fastened.\r\n\r\nJim released the breath that he didn't realize he had been holding.\r\nFighting a sudden dryness in his mouth and throat, he asked quietly,\r\n\"That OK, Chief?\"  \r\n\r\nWhen Jim made no effort to remove his hands from the muscular chest, \r\nBlair finally spoke.  \"You know, Jim,\" \/Dammit voice, don't squeak\r\nso much!\/ \"In some cultures, we would be considered married now.\"\r\nHe let his eyes meet up with Jim's, which he had avoided until he\r\nfinished speaking.  Jim's lips parted slightly, while his fingers\r\nclosed on the ring that was now in place, tugging on it gently.\r\n\r\n\"Really?\" Jim asked quietly, his eyes hiding none of the desire that\r\nwas raging within him.  \"Sounds kind of nice.\"  Jim tugged on the ring\r\nwith a slightly firmer motion, which brought a moan from Blair's lips.\r\nBarely whispering, he asked, \"You like that, Sandburg?\"\r\n\r\nBlair could hold back no more.  His hands went to the sides of Jim's\r\nface, pulling him close.  He licked his lips, then surrounded Jim's\r\nlips with his own, thrusting his tongue deep into Jim's mouth.  Jim\r\nrose from his kneeling position and put his body over Blair's, hovering\r\nas his free hand began to explore the body beneath him while the \r\nother still tugged gently on the silver ring.  Blair let his hands \r\nroam, finding hard, red-hot flesh beneath his fingertips, threatening\r\nto sear his skin off.  The couple broke off the kiss and stared deep\r\ninto each other's eyes.  \r\n\r\n\"Jesus, Jim,\" Blair panted.  \"Where have you been hiding *that*?\"\r\n\r\nJim just smiled, then gave Blair a quick kiss before standing.  \"You\r\nnever asked for it before, Sandburg.\"\r\n\r\nBlair immediately missed the closeness that the two had shared just\r\nseconds earlier, his face questioning why Jim was now standing away\r\nfrom him.  His unasked question was answered as Jim extended his\r\nhand, summoning him to his feet.  \"Come on, Chief.\"\r\n\r\nBlair extended his hand out, and it was swallowed between the older\r\nman's hands.  \"What?\" he questioned quietly.\r\n\r\n\"Come on,\" Jim responded, his eyes penetrating to the depths of Blair's\r\nsoul.  \"We're going upstairs...to *our* room.\"\r\n\r\n\"Our room?\"  Blair asked, not hiding the surprise in his voice.\r\n\r\nJim released himself from the pools of blue in which he had almost \r\nimmersed himself completely, and turned slightly away.  He knew \r\nthat if Blair took what he was about to say wrong, his heart \r\nwould break.  By turning away, he could prevent some of that hurt \r\nif Blair shot him down.  \"Chief, I know this is new to both of us, \r\nbut I'm not willing to do this half-heartedly.  If I do this, I'm in it \r\nfor good.\"  Jim turned back to his partner's face.  \"Blair,\" he said \r\nquietly, \"I love you.\"\r\n\r\nA look of immense joy overtook Blair's face, his eyes sparkling.  \r\n\"Jesus, Jim!  Do you know how long I've waited for you to hear that?\"  \r\nBlair brought his hands to Jim's face, feeling the stubble underneath \r\nhis palms.  \"I love you, too.\"\r\n\r\nBlair tilted his head up, stepping on the tips of his toes to meet \r\nJim's full height, and kissed him gently on the lips.  As he came back \r\ndown, he grabbed Jim's hand in his and led towards the stairs.  \"Come \r\non, big guy!\"  he added, a mischievous grin spreading over his face.  \r\nHe took one step, but felt as if he had been chained to a tree, as his \r\nbody snapped back into place.  As he turned to Jim, he noticed a look \r\nof concern on the detective's face.  \"What is it, Jim?  Did I do \r\nsomething wrong?  What?\"  Concern dripped heavily from his voice.\r\n\r\nThe cheeks of Jim's face held a blush, and he stammered as he began to \r\nquietly speak.  \"Um... How do I say this?\"  He brought his eyes to meet \r\nBlair's.  \"Blair,\" he almost whispered.  \"I've never done this before.\"\r\n\r\nA light hearted laugh escaped Blair's lips.  \"Oh man,\" he said, eyes \r\ncrinkling with delight.  \"You mean you're a virgin?\"  When Jim began \r\nto correct Blair, he restated, \"I mean for the male\/male thing.\"\r\n\r\nJim's felt as if today he were in eternal blush mode.  \"Yeah.  The male\/male\r\nthing.\"\r\n\r\n\"Oh man, don't worry about it.  We can take it as slow as you want. \r\nWhatever you don't feel comfortable with-\"\r\n\r\n\"Wait a minute,  Sandburg.  You mean *you've* done this before?\"  \r\n\r\nBlair needn't have answered.  As he flashed Jim his most innocent smile,\r\nhe couldn't help biting his lip in a look of satisfied guilt.  \"Yeah, but\r\nI've hardly been around the block more than a few times.  And it's\r\nbeen years, man.  You think I'd go out with a guy while I lived here?\"\r\nhe asked, gesturing around the loft.  \"You'd have smelled it in a minute.\r\nBut I have done some stuff, you know, nothing hardcore or anything.\r\nWell, I've read a lot of stuff, but I've never been able to-\"\r\n\r\n\"Sandburg!\" Jim yanked on Blair's hand, bringing him close.\r\n\r\nBlair was once again biting his lip, looking up at his partner.  \"Yeah,\r\nJim?\"\r\n\r\n\"Shut up and get upstairs.\"\r\n\r\nFinish<\/pre>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>~*~*~*~ Title: The Ring Author\/pseudonym: Squidgie (Walter H. Hopgood) Email address: walterh@squidge.org Rating: PG-13 Pairings: J\/B Status: NEW Date: 2\/28\/98 Archive: YES to Merry and Michelle Archive author: Squidgie Archive email address: walterh@squidge.org Series\/Sequel: Part of the Panda series Other website: http:\/\/www.meer.net\/~walterh\/walter\/ Disclaimers: I don&#8217;t own Jim or Blair &#8211; they&#8217;re owned by UPN and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[21,26,9,27,23],"class_list":["post-111","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fiction","tag-archived-fic","tag-the-sentinel","tag-fic","tag-jimblair","tag-slash"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2ZgDO-1N","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.squidge.org\/walterh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.squidge.org\/walterh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.squidge.org\/walterh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.squidge.org\/walterh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.squidge.org\/walterh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=111"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.squidge.org\/walterh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":112,"href":"https:\/\/www.squidge.org\/walterh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111\/revisions\/112"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.squidge.org\/walterh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=111"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.squidge.org\/walterh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=111"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.squidge.org\/walterh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=111"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}