Conversations
Author : Silver Dragon
Fandom : Sentinel
Pairing : none
Rating : PG 13 for mention of violence
Status : In Progress
Archive : As you wish just let me know where
Feedback : Greatly enjoyed. Makes me write faster. :)
Email : silverdragonsi@icqmail.com
Series / Sequel : Yep, Ya'll talked me into it.
Disclaimers : Not mine. If they were it would be out on DVD
Summary : Because it was asked for, this is the discussion that the gang had at Simon's before the poker game.
Warnings : Blair as military, some violence, there will be more :)
no beta so read at own risk. Also it would make more sense if you've read Surprise first.
* * indicates thought
OOPS forgot to mention this is an AU
Conversations
by Silver Dragon
Everyone was seated and recovered from Brown's outburst. Blair took a deep breath. Let it out. Then he began, "Ok. First the why. Like I told you, I'd been tutoring to try and make extra money. I was bartending and working another job. That was barely keeping me a float. One of the guys I was tutoring, had just left the Navy. The government was paying for his education. We had discussed, a few times, his time in the Navy and where he was going now. I was looking for something different. I'd been in college, had my Masters, and had already seen more combat then he had."
"WHAT!!!! " they all shouted. The notable exceptions being Simon and Jim, who had already heard part of the story.
Blair looked at Simon, his gratitude in his eyes. "Thanks Simon. Ok to answer that . . . question. Look you guys know I've traveled all over the world. Right?" he paused, as they all nodded. "Ok. I've mentioned a lot of places my Mom and I have gone." Blair stopped and seemingly took off on another tangent. "You also, being detectives," he said with a sarcastic smile, "know that my Mom isn't around much or long." He looked around to see if they understood where he was going and got confused looks. "What you haven't realized, apparently, is this is not a new thing. When we'd go somewhere, I'd usually end up wandering alone, or be left with "friends ". These "friends" were often people Naomi had only known a few days or weeks. Which meant I was still basically alone."
Blair saw the idea was starting to sink in. He looked to Jim. His Sentinel was sitting with tears in his eyes, as he realized just how alone his guide had been.
Blair whispered, "Don't worry Big Guy, it works out in the end." Raising his voice to continue, before the crew could start with more questions. "Now, knowing that and where we had visited. You know places like Israel and the surrounding areas, parts of Africa, South and Central America. Hell, before I started at Rainier I had been to Afghanistan and Hong Kong. Most of these places are at war with themselves, everyone else, or are just dangerous. Before I was 14, I'd seen what a rocket launcher, grenade, car bomb, and a variety of other weapons could do." Blair looked around at the shocked faces, of his friends. "Kids can accept and adapt to a lot guys. Don't think it was all bad. There were a lot of safe, quiet places, too."
Blair stopped for a minute, taking sips, from the drink Jim offered. He waited, wondering if there would be more questions or if he should just continue.
After a few moments of silence, he continued. "That's the whole combat thing. Now to Blair in the Navy." he said lightly, trying to make like this wasn't bothering him at all. "I went down to the recruiter. At first he was kinda skeptical, but after he saw my scores on the tests . . . well we got down to what I wanted and what they would offer. The terms were great. They would match every dollar I paid on my loans. There were a few other things, but they aren't important. Anyway, I went through training. After some tests, I ended up as an officer. I was assigned to a ship, as I had requested. we went all over the world. I loved it. I got to travel and have the security, I'd always wanted. My CO had been watching me. I was pretty young to be where I was. I think he was waiting for me to screw up. Instead I ended up impressing him. When he found out that I had expressed an interest in the SeALs, he pushed me to apply. I did. I was accepted for training. I thought I would loose my rank, cause there aren't as many spots for officers. I decided to try for one anyway. Man the expectations for the seaman was hard, but for officers . . . If a seaman needed a 85%, the officer just to pass needed a 90 or 95%. To top it off the requirements are very high to begin with."
A small grin lit his features. "I surprised myself, as well as the others. It wasn't a breeze, but I had less trouble then I was expecting. I had always stayed in shape. It helped with the long hours I pulled. I am more flexible, then most. The other parts, endurance, the cold, and little to no sleep, it was what I was used to. I wasn't as susceptible to the cold then . . ." Blair trailed off. His eyes let them know, that for the moment he was in a memory. And from the look of it not a pleasant one.
They all looked at one another, unsure what to do. Ellison stood up and slowly approached his partner and guide. He stopped an arm's length away. He heard H whisper "Why doesn't he just shake him?"
Jim shook his head. * They still haven't got it. Don't worry Buddy they will.*
Jim called Blair softly. "Come back buddy. Come on, we're all here waiting for you."
With a gasp Blair jumped back his hand reaching as if for a weapon.
Then he froze. "Jim?" Blair blinked. "Sorry got lost for a few."
He looked at the men and woman of Major Crimes. "I need a break," he choked out.
He broke for the kitchen. Jim right behind. He left behind a profound silence.
Then a quiet exclamation could be heard. "Oh My God."
The disbelieving exclamation broke the taut silence. "Oh My God," Joel stated again. "I thought Blair was this naive kid." He looked at the others. "Even when he helped me get over The Bomb. I just thought that was the way he was. He just needed to help. Not that he might actually really understand. I never thought that bouncy kid, could have all this in his past." Joel shook his head sadly. "I really haven't given Blair enough credit."
Simon looked around. "Joel we've all done it. None of us looked beyond what was obvious. Hell, how many times have I discounted or ignored something he said. I know there were times if it had come from almost anyone else I'd have not only listened, but acted on the information."
The detectives all shook their heads, each remembering times when they should have listened. Remembering times, when the only reason, the case was solved as fast, or at all, was because of Blair.
Rafe and Brown looked at each other, "Yea, if H and I had listened to him earlier, the Johnson case would have been solved a week or more before it was. He told us what to look for," Rafe gave a sheepish shrug. "We didn't even try it till we had no other possible things to look at. He was right. An hour later we had Johnson in custody."
"All right, what's done is done. The question is, can we accept Blair as he is, rather then how we perceived him?" Simon held up his hand. "Wait . . . the other question is do we have the right or need to ask him to tell us the rest. It's obvious that what he has told us already has been difficult. Somehow, though, I don't think we've heard any where near the worst." Simon, looked at the thoughtful expressions on his detectives faces, and waited.
Still with me? There is more to come.
END PART 4