Title: Keep the fire Burning

Author: Angela

Disclaimers: They aren’t mine. Petfly and UPN own them

Summary: Jim takes care of Blair while he is sick and Jim keeps the fire burning for him.

Warnings: none that I know of

Notes: I liked the idea of taking a song’s title and writing a fic. I am going to try and write song title fics through my fandoms I like to write about. I’m thinking about making them into a series within the fandoms. Anyone is welcome to the song title idea

Further Disclaimer: Keep the Fire Burnin’ is by REO Speedwagon. I just borrowed it and put it back.

Keep the fire Burnin’…..REO Speedwagon

Keep The Fire Burning
by Angela

"Keep the fire burnin’, man." Blair sneezed.

This was his second or third no maybe fourth cold. Jim couldn’t keep count. It seemed that every time Blair turned around he was getting sick. Jim was surprised that the young man hadn’t gotten pneumonia. He looked at Blair one last time and went to cook some home made chicken noodle soup for the both of them.

As the soup was simmering the detective puttered around the loft. He cleaned and made his guide more comfortable on the couch the younger man was reclining on. Blair just smiled and patted Jim’s cheek. He shooed off his Sentinel so that he could get some rest but the older man was going to stay within sight, hearing and touch of the young professor. Jim didn’t want anything to go wrong.

"Keep the fire burnin’." Blair said for the second time that night. Jim had just stoked up the fire when Blair made his request. It was hot in the loft which made the Sentinel take everything off except for a t-shirt and running shorts. Jim looked at the anthropology professor and went up to
the young man to feel his forehead. He was burning up. Jim quickly went upstairs to their bedroom and got dressed. After finishing dressing the detective grabbed some things for Blair. He hurried down to the living room and got the younger man ready to go to the hospital.

The ride to the hospital was quick and silent. Blair couldn’t believe Jim would over react to a simple cold. The young man coughed and sneezed and tried to say something to his lover. Jim glared and Blair didn’t say anything. It was no use. You couldn’t talk to Jim when he got into his
Blessed Protector and mother hen mode all at once. Blair really didn’t want to go to the hospital. He didn’t see what the big deal was. He only had a little cold.

By the time Blair got to see the doctor his fever was high and he was coughing more. The doctor looked at the young man and shook his head. Poor Blair had pneumonia and was to remain in bed at home for the duration. The young man didn’t like that idea. He tried to protest but Jim’s best ‘no argument’ glare made the Guide keep his mouth shut. After getting the prescription filled Jim took Blair home and ensconced him in their bed.

Blair snuggled down under the big blue comforter. He sighed and then let out a cough. Jim was beside him in a second seeing if the young man needed him. Blair frowned at his mother hen. He knew that Jim was only trying to take care of him but he felt smothered. He had been feeling smothered the last few weeks. Jim wouldn’t let up. He sighed again. Jim loved him deeply and he
wouldn’t give that up in a minute.

"I love you, Jim." Blair said knowing that the Sentinel could hear him in the bathroom.

Jim smiled when he heard Blair whisper his love for him. He knew that Blair didn’t like the mother hen mode but he couldn’t help it. He just wanted to take care of the love of his life. The detective just wanted Blair to be happy and feel loved and safe. Blair was feeling both.

"Time to eat a little and take your medication, Chief." Jim said bringing up the meal tray for Blair to use.

Blair smiled at his Sentinel and patted the bed beside him. Jim settled himself beside the younger man and helped to get their meal ready. Both men ate the soup readily and had contented sighs after the soup was all eaten. Jim gathered their dishes and took them down to the kitchen. He rinsed them and let them stay until the next day. He locked everything up and made sure that all was quiet. Jim grabbed the books that Simon had brought by earlier at the hospital when he had called Jim and the detective had informed him that Blair was sick. By the time that he got up to the loft bedroom Blair was already asleep. He stopped to watch Blair as he slept. Jim saw what an angel Blair was in his sleep. He couldn’t help but smile. He was just the opposite during the day. The young man was bouncy and so full of life and now he was still and looking so sweet.

Jim bent over his lover and kissed the fevered forehead. He felt with that touch that the Guide’s fever had gone down some. He was grateful for that. Blair had run himself ragged with University work, the station but other projects that his department put off on him. Jim thought it was time to take a vacation. After Blair recovered Jim was going to take his young lover to some far off beach where there was no station, criminals, projects or Universities. Jim smiled and slipped into bed beside the younger man. Blair snuggled up to his Sentinel and sighed in his sleep. Jim held the young man tightly to him as he drifted off to sleep.

"Keep the fire burnin’." Was mumbled from under the pillow next to Jim.

Jim quickly woke up to see what was wrong. He looked at the pillow with auburn colored curls growing out from under it. The detective shook the shoulder to awaken the young professor. Blair slowly came awake. He saw ice blue eyes peeking at him with love and concern in them.

"I’m all right, man."

"Ok. But why do you want me to keep the fire burning."

"For sex, man."

"Your sick, Sandburg."

Blair looked at his lover and frowned. He didn’t think that he was being sick in that kind of way. All he wanted was his morning sex romp and couldn’t understand why Jim wasn’t going for it. It was not like Jim to forgo sex in the mornings. He was a bear if he at least didn’t get a little something. Blair looked at his Sentinel again. Jim had gotten out of bed and was dressing. The young man shook his head and tried to get out of bed. Jim was having none of that and shoved Blair right back into the big bed. Blair groaned. No sex. Blair groaned again. This time Jim paid attention to him. And then that’s when it happened. Blair not only threw up but also managed to flip Jim the bird. Jim wanted to not only hold and soothe the young man but also laugh at him. Even despite the puke he looked adorable. Jim hugged his Guide tight and then laid him back on the bed to start to clean him up. After that was finished Jim got breakfast and Blair’s medication ready.

"I’ve to go to work, Blair. So if you need me don’t hesitate to call. Or send Wolfie for me."

"Ok, Jim. Can I send Jaggy."

"No. The last time you did he did something to Simon."

"Ok. Love you."

Love you, too."

Jim kissed him on the forehead and left for the day at work. Blair padded to the couch where Jim had made him a nest to relax and recover in. He also had handed him some brochures to look at for potential vacation spots. Blair sighed by the first hour he was bored. The book he was reading was getting boring and then the TV shows he tried to watch were too stupid and then he found a Lifetime marathon of Designing Women. He liked this show and decided to watch the marathon.

As he watched the young man drifted off to sleep. While he slept, a wolf appeared beside him. It was Blair’s spirit guide coming to not only watch over him but also keep him company. The wolf had felt sorry for his human and thought he needed a little company. Several hours later, Blair was up fixing himself some lunch and taking his medication. Jim had called around then to check on him. He let the older man know he was all right and that his spirit guide was there to keep him company.

After his conversation with Jim, Blair went back to the couch and then slept once more. That evening Jim came home to find Blair still on the couch and both spirit animals with him. The Jaguar must have missed his mate because he was right along there with the wolf.

*

Jim woke the young man and led him to the bathroom for a short bath. Blair enjoyed the bath and wanted to soak in it some more. Jim let him for another half hour. Jim’s spirit guide followed him around the loft as the big man cleaned up and redid the nest he had made for his lover. The Wolf had decided that he needed a bath to and went in to be with Blair in his bath. After the half hour Jim got Blair out of his bath and put him back to bed. Blair’s spirit animal followed the two men upstairs. The wolf was concerned about his human. He stayed with the younger man throughout the next few days as Blair got over his bout of pneumonia.

By the end of the week Blair was feeling better. He sat out on the balcony as Jim made dinner for both of them. Jim had gotten a table and chairs for the balcony and wanted to have dinner out there under the night sky. Blair’s wolf was lying at the end of his feet and Jim’s jaguar patiently waited for the detective to feed him some of the yummy meat he had smelled.

"Hey, Jim do you think that you could Keep the fire burnin’."

"What for, love."

"Me!"

Jim chuckled and shook his head at the young man. Jim was happy and so was Blair. He had recovered from his bout of pneumonia and that made everyone happy. This was only because it made Jim become less of a bear.

Jim and Blair that night did keep the fire burnin’. They kept it burning for each other. Blair lay sated after their lovemaking contemplating life and love. He was happy and content. Jim loved him and loved him enough to take care of him in sickness and health. He knew that he was home.

Blair would always keep the fire burnin’ for his beloved Sentinel. And his beloved would return the love.

The end.