OUT OF THE BLUE

by Zadi

zadislash@comcast.net

Rating: NC-17

Fandom/Pairing: The Sentinel; Jim/Blair

Category: First Time; Slash; M/M; Very schmaltzy

Spoilers: TSbyBS

Disclaimer: I don’t own anything related to “The Sentinel” – Paramount and Pet Fly do. It’s a shame, really. The things I could do with Jim and Blair! All original characters and the story idea are mine. Garett, if you’re reading this – I’m single!

Archive: If you want it, sure thing. Just let me know where it’s going.

Summary: Jim comes to a realization. This is a companion piece to my story “Afterlife” – don’t know if it will become part of a series yet or not. Guess that’s up to the readers. This is sort of from Jim’s point of view, and it would greatly help to read “Afterlife” first. The two stories kind of flip-flop back and forth. If this becomes a series, I’ll probably go back and combine these two stories and use that as a starting point for the series. Please let me know if you like that idea.

Author’s Notes: This is a work of fiction. Sometimes, in fiction, the characters don’t take the necessary precautions during intimate moments. If you are sexually active, please play safely!

*Text between asterisks* indicates a character’s inner thoughts or silent monologue.
ALL CAPS indicate emphasis.
* * * * * indicates a passage of time.



OUT OF THE BLUE
by Zadi

He wasn’t precisely sure when it had happened, but somewhere along the line, sometime after calling his Guide a neo-hippie witchdoctor punk, sometime after the Golden incident, sometime after his best friend and partner had died and come back to life, Jim Ellison had fallen in love with Blair Sandburg.

Just what was it about Blair that Jim loved? Everything, it seemed. His hair, of course. Gods, that hair! Long and silky, ringlets that bounced when the younger man walked, the perfect frame for the perfect face. The eyes. The soul-piercing blue yes. And oh, the lips. The lips that just begged to be kissed and silently promised a thousand nights of a thousand intimacies.

Jim Ellison, Sentinel, loved everything about Blair Sandburg, Guide. Pure and simple. Everything.

Early Friday morning, Blair had left the loft he and Jim shared. So early, in fact, that Jim had still been sleeping. Knowing how much his Guide is not a morning person, Jim began to worry. The last several days had certainly taken their toll on the young man. As Jim started his own day, he remembered Blair mentioning something about having to have his office cleared out by that evening.

*Must be why he’s gone so early,* Jim mused. *Poor guy. I know his heart is breaking right now, but I don’t know what to do to help.*

The drive to the police station was uneventful, and Ellison parked the truck in his usual spot. He made his way up to the Major Crimes offices, passing a few friends and colleagues along the way. The majority asked about Blair, wanting to make sure the younger man was coping. *See Chief, you’re loved, you just don’t know it.*

As he filled his coffee mug and sat at his desk to start on a mountain of paperwork – paper work that Blair usually took care of – Jim’s thoughts continued to be focused on his partner. Through his years in the military, the police academy, even in Vice, Jim had never felt like he belonged, truly belonged. Oh sure, he enjoyed the work and, for the most part, the people he worked with. But, he could not truthfully say that his co-workers were friends. He was relatively sure that, should the need arise, most of the cops he worked with would be there for him if he asked. But he was equally sure that none of them would offer outright without being asked.

All that changed when he had met Blair. With his senses spiking all over creation, and he with no idea how to stop the resulting pain, he was little more than a grumpy curmudgeon when “Dr. McKay” had showed up in his hospital room. When the detective had figured out that Blair was not a doctor, just some kid from the university, he had been angry. No, not angry. He had been furious.

Even as he had thrown the younger man against the wall, Jim knew something was happening. He could FEEL it. His senses seemed to be under control. He felt a calmness, a serenity. And somewhere, deep in his psyche, the panther he’d been seeing in his dreams all too frequently purred.

Perhaps that was when he started falling in love with Blair Sandburg.

Picking up the phone, Jim dialed Blair’s office.

“Anthro, Blair Sandburg.” *He sounds so… sad.*

“Hey Chief.”

“Jim,” Blair said, after a sigh. “What’s up, man? You need me to come in?”

“Naw, that’s okay, Chief,” Jim responded, trying quickly to come up with a reason for calling, other than ‘I just wanted to hear your voice, Blair.’

“Oh. Okay.”

“Just wanted to see if…” *Come on, you big dope, THINK!* “See if you needed some help getting your stuff boxed up?”

The silence on the other end of the phone line was deafening. Finally, the Guide and Shaman answered, “No, man, it’s okay. I’ve got it taken care of.”

Jim heaved a sigh of relief. *Too close.* “Okay, cool deal. Listen, you wanna catch a movie this weekend or something?”

“Yeah, that’d be great.”

“Okay. We’ll talk about it tonight.”

“Yeah.”

“See ya then, Chief.”

“Bye Jim.”

* * * * *

Jim grabbed a cart and made his way through the grocery store. After talking with his partner earlier in the day, he had decided to surprise Blair with a special dinner. A quick trip to the grocery store, then to the loft to deposit the makings for dinner, and then back to the office. As he scanned the pasta isle, his cell phone rang.

Fishing the phone out of his pocket, the detective opened it up. “Ellison?”

“Hello Jim,” a female voice said. “It’s Naomi Sandburg.”

Jim could not have been more surprised if had received a call from the Pope himself. “Naomi! Is everything alright? Is Blair… is something wrong with Blair?”

“What? Oh, no, Jim, nothing like that. I just wanted to talk to you, if that’s alright?”

The Sentinel sighed heavily. “Sure Naomi, no problem at all. What can I do for you?”

He heard Naomi fidgeting. “Jim, I’m so sorry about… about what happened last week. You have to know, I never intended to hurt Blair, or you, for that matter.”

“I know, Naomi,” Jim said, actually understanding more than he thought the woman could comprehend. “You only wanted Blair’s work to be read. I know.”

“Oh gods, Jim,” Naomi said, tears finally spilling. “I don’t know what I’m going to do. Blair hates me, I just know he does.”

“He doesn’t hate you, Naomi,” Jim said. “You’re his mother, he could never hate you. He isn’t wired like that.”

“I… well, you are so right about that, Detective.” Naomi paused for a moment. “Do you think he’ll ever be able to forgive me?”

“Of course he will, Naomi,” Jim answered. “Just give him some time.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Naomi said, the heavy weight she’d been carrying somewhat lifted. “I hope… I hope you can forgive me as well, Jim?”

“Of course. It was an honest mistake.”

Naomi laughed nervously. “Blair was right about you, Jim.”

“Oh? How so?”

“You might be a pig… oh, I’m so sorry… I mean, you might be a cop, but you’ve got the heart and soul of an angel.”

Jim felt his face flushing. *Blair thinks I’m an angel?* “Uh… well… I don’t know about that. I’m just… me.”

Naomi laughed again, more at ease. “Well, ‘just you’ is a great person, Jim.” She sniffled, the last of the tears drying on her cheeks. “Will… will you not tell Blair I called? I need to gather my thoughts, meditate a little, and then talk to him.”

“Sure thing, Naomi,” Jim said, a smile on his face and in his voice. *Like mother, like son.*

“Thank you Jim. For everything. Goodbye now.”

“Goodbye Naomi.”

Jim closed the phone and slipped it back into his jacket pocket. He quickly found the ingredients he needed for dinner, purchased them, and made his way to the loft.

* * * * *

The afternoon passed quickly, and Jim soon found himself back at the loft. Looking at the clock on the wall, he decided he needed to start preparations for the evening. Blair would be home in an hour and a half or so.

He brought water to boil for the ziti and bow-tie pasta, chopped the vegetables and herbs for the salad, pulled a bottle of wine from the cabinet and set it in the refrigerator to chill. He browned Italian sausage and beef, made a simple Bolognese sauce, and had the ziti baking within a half hour.

Checking around the loft to make sure everything was ready, Jim quickly calculated he had time for a quick shower before Blair was due. Shedding clothes and, in a decidedly ‘un-Jim’ fashion, leaving them strewn on the floor, he made his way to the bathroom.

* * * * *

Jim wrapped a towel around his waist and quickly made his way up the stairs to his bedroom. Only after he’d slipped on a pair of boxers and jeans did he realize it was storming outside. He took a quick look outside, evermore thankful for Sentinel site. The deluge hitting Cascade looked to be settling in for a while. Jim sighed. *Make it home safely, Chief.*

As if the Fates themselves were listening in on his most personal thoughts, Jim heard his Guide’s keys unlock the door downstairs. Jim’s heartbeat raced as he realized it was now or never time, sink or swim. *Time to tell him that you love him, Jim old boy.*

* * * * *

Following dinner, Jim and Blair talked. And talked. And then talked some more. And sometime after the talking, they found themselves in each other’s arms, kissing, stroking, two hearts talking to each other in the age-old language of attraction and love.

And when it came time for the men to go to bed, they climbed the stairs to the bedroom upstairs together. For the first time, they climbed the stairs to sleep in the same bed, not as friends, but as lovers.

Jim undressed, his eyes never straying from Blair as he watched his friend undress as well. Of course, he’d seen Blair in various states of dress over the years. That couldn’t be helped when you live together as roommates, especially in a loft apartment with only one bathroom. But never before had he truly SEEN Blair.

“Gods, but you are beautiful,” Jim whispered as Blair lifted his tee shirt over his head. “So beautiful.”

Blair blushed as he continued to disrobe. Finally he stood there in only his boxers, and shyly looked at his friend, who also stood there clad only in underwear.

“Jim,” the Guide started. “Would you mind… I mean… would it be okay if we just held each other tonight?”

Blair was instantly enveloped in Jim’s strong arms, pulled into a tight embrace. “We’ll only do what you want, Chief,” the Sentinel answered. “Only what you want.”

Blair sighed contentedly as his lover stroked his arms. “I want to feel you against me, Jim,” he whispered. “I just want to take it slowly, man.”

“Whatever you want, baby.”

Blair kissed Jim’s chest as he pulled away. Hooking his thumbs at the waistband of his boxers, he stripped them off and then stood there, waiting expectantly.

“Beautiful,” Jim whispered.

“You’re gonna give me a swelled head, man,” Blair said as he chuckled.

“I certainly hope so.”

Blair blushed crimson. “Oh man, I can’t believe I said that!”

Jim slipped his underwear down and stood there naked. He took Blair’s hand and led him to the bed, pulled the comforter and blankets back, and pulled the shorter man down with him.

“I love you so much, Blair,” the Sentinel said. “I can’t believe you’re here, with me.”

And Sentinel and Guide snuggled down and slept.

* * * * *

Jim snuggled into the warmth of his Guide’s body. Yes, he could definitely get used to this. A warm Blair-blanket every morning would definitely be a good thing. As the older man once again slipped into slumber, he vaguely heard the phone ringing, and then Blair having a conversation with someone. Who? Naomi.

* * * * *

Blair pressed the ‘End Talk’ button on the cordless phone and set it back on the night stand.

“Ev’rything okay, Chief?”

Blair sighed. “Yeah, Jim, everything’s perfect.” He leaned down and softly kissed his lover’s forehead. “Sorry I woke you up.”

“You didn’t. Well, yeah, you did. But no worries. You’re here next to me, so the world is as it should be.”

Jim pulled his younger lover down into an embrace. He brushed an errant lock of hair from Blair’s eyes, and saw concern.

“You’re not… you’re not having second thoughts, are you Chief?”

“Hell no,” was Blair’s quick response. “I’ve waited my entire life – short as it may be – for you, James Ellison.” He brushed a thumb against his Sentinel’s lips. “There’s no way I’m going to give you up now.”

The two men held each other and simply enjoyed the physical contact for a few minutes. Soon, the inevitable happened. Both men became aroused – VERY aroused.

Jim cleared his throat. “Chief, I know you didn’t want to… to do anything last night,” he started. “And I’ll understand if you want to wait…”

“I want to make love to you, Jim,” Blair interrupted.

A smile as bright as the desert sun shone from the Sentinel’s face. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Lips met lips, tongues dueled with each other, and soon both men were panting and covered with a fine sheen of sweat. Jim felt his lover’s hard erection poking against his own body.

“I want you inside me,” Jim said. Blair’s eye’s widened and Jim instantly regretted his words. “I mean… if you… if you want to?”

Blair pushed his hardness against Jim’s thigh. “Does that feel like I don’t want to?”

Jim chuckled. “Well, now that you mention it…”

“Have you ever… I mean… I know you’re gay and all, but… have you ever been with a man? I mean, in THAT way?”

Jim laughed. “I never thought I’d see the day. Blair Sandburg, at a loss for words.”

“Not funny, Jim.”

After laughing for a moment longer, Jim kissed his Guide. “Yes, Chief, I’ve been with a man – THAT way. It’s been a while, but I think I can still remember how it goes.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You could never hurt me, baby,” Jim responded.

Blair blushed at the term of endearment. He surreptitiously looked at the night stand. “Do you have…?”

Jim leaned over his lover’s body, purposely brushing his own erection over that of the younger man’s. He opened the draw on the night stand, and withdrew a condom and a bottle of Eros lube. He gave the bottle to Blair.

“Are you sure about this, Jim?” Blair asked self-consciously.

Ellison held his lover’s face. “Never more sure.” The Sentinel laid his body back down on the bed and spread his legs, a definite invitation.

Blair grabbed a pillow and placed it under his friend’s hips. He uncapped the bottle of of lube and poured a small amount into his left hand. Quickly placing the bottle on the nightstand, he turned his attentions back to his lover.

“I want to make this so good for you, love,” Blair said. “Please, tell me if I hurt you.”

Jim nodded. Blair dipped his index into the lube, generously coating the digit. He stroked the finger down his lover’s hardness, causing the older man to shiver. “Turn your touch down a notch, babe,” Blair whispered. “I don’t want you to zone on me.” Jim nodded again.

Blair slowly stroked further down to Jim’s scrotum, then to the perineum, and finally to the older man’s anus. He circled the puckered opening.

Jim drew in a breath. “Please, Chief.”

Gently, the anthropologist inserted the lubed finger tip into the Sentinel’s body. He pushed past the first joint, and then the second until he was buried to the knuckle. Just as gently, he pulled the finger back out and then pushed it back in.

“More, Chief,” Jim begged, “please, I need more of you.”

Blair lubed his middle finger and then pushed both fingers into the tight opening halfway. He pulled almost out and then pushed back in, this time to the knuckles. He twisted the fingers to the left, then to the right. And then he brushed his lover’s prostate.

“Holy mother of God!” Jim exclaimed, his hips raising off the pillow in an attempt to swallow his lover’s fingers further into his body. “Please please please…”

Blair brushed over the older man’s prostate again as he leaned down to claim his lips. “Love you so much, Jim.” He withdrew his fingers. “Want you for life, Jim.” He snatched the lube from the night stand and poured more into his left hand. After coating his hard flesh, he took Jim’s erection and coated it as well.

After kissing him one more time, Blair positioned himself at Jim’s anus and slowly entered his lover’s body, taking care not to hurt his soulmate. Never before in his life had he been this hard, this aroused, or this in love. After what felt like an eternity, he was fully sheathed in Jim’s body, his testicles resting firmly against the firm globes of his Sentinel’s buttocks. He lowered his own body to Jim’s and the lovers were chest-to-chest.

“Oh my God,” the younger man whispered. “Oh my God.”

“I love you, Chief,” Jim whispered back, his lips barely touching the dark haired man’s cheek. “This feels so right.”

Blair buried his head in the space between Jim’s head and shoulder. His body shook as tears, long held in, finally flowed.

“Chief?” Jim asked. “Baby, what’s wrong?” He placed his hands on either side of Blair’s face and gently lifted his young lover’s head away from his own body, then stared into blue eyes filled with liquid.

“You… oh God, Jim, I love you so much,” Blair finally answered. He stroked a gentle hand down the side of the police officer’s face. “You make me feel alive.”

“Make love to me, Blair,” Jim whispered. “Show me this is real.”

Slowly at first, Blair began pumping in and out of his lover’s body. He angled his thrusts to hit that oh so sweet spot, and Jim swore he saw God himself.

“Blair, Blair, baby, love you so much,” Jim repeated over and over, his own personal mantra, reaffirming to himself as much as to his lover that THIS was forever.

Blair’s thrusts came more quickly, and soon he was pounding with all his strength into his lover, his Sentinel, his soulmate. All too soon, he felt the tell-tale tingling in the depths of his groin, and with a primal scream and one final thrust, Blair climaxed. This joining, this coupling, this RIGHTNESS was the truth he had been searching for his entire life. He pulled Jim close and embraced his lover tightly.

It was only then that Blair realized he felt a warm and sticky sensation on his stomach. He pulled away slowly and looked down. Apparently, Jim had also climaxed, as was evidenced by the cooling semen now smeared on both of the men’s torsos.

“That was… was quite something, Chief,” Jim said, a wicked gleam in his eyes. “I don’t think anyone’s ever made me come without actually touching my dick before.”

* * * * *

Jim pulled Blair’s body closer to his own, burying his nose in silken curls. He breathed deeply.

“Jim, are you… are you imprinting me?” Blair asked.

“Yeah, I guess I am,” the older man responded. “Does that bother you?”

Blair quickly turned over, his eyes wide with wonder. “No way, man! It’s totally cool.” His hand cupped Jim’s cheek. “Kind of makes me feel… I don’t know… loved… protected.”

“I am your blessed protector.”

Both men chuckled. “That you are, big guy, that you are.”

After a few moments of simply looking into each other’s eyes, Blair leaned in to kiss his friend’s lips. “I can’t believe we waited so long, Jim.”

“I know, Chief, I know.” Sentinel and Guide pulled each other closer, an attempt to crawl into each other’s skin. The held each other for long minutes. Finally, Ellison pulled his head away and looked at his partner. “Chief, are you bisexual?”

“No.”

“So, you’re gay?”

“Yes. One hundred percent, red-blooded American homosexual.”

“What about all those co-eds you’ve been chasing after?”

“Obfuscation, man.”

“What?”

Blair sat up in bed, pulling his lover practically into his lap. “I’m the king of obfuscation. I wasn’t sure if you’d be cool with having a gay roommate, so I… obfuscated.”

Jim laughed. “Remind me to buy you a thesaurus, Darwin.”

“What about you?” Blair asked, gently stroking Jim’s hair. “Bisexual or gay?”

“I don’t believe in bisexuality, Chief.”

“Say what? How can you ‘not believe’ in it?”

“What I mean, is I don’t believe it’s a true sexual orientation. Homosexuality and heterosexuality, I believe you’re born that way. Bisexuality, that’s just being greedy, it’s a choice. I mean, make up your mind, ya know?” The lovers regarded each other for a moment, and then Jim continued. “I think that’s why every relationship with a woman I tried, failed. Deep down, I always knew I was gay.”

Blair thought for a moment. “Hmph. I’d never really thought of it that way, but I think you’re right, Jim. Who knew? Jim Ellison, philosopher!”

“Oh, and don’t get me started on that whole ‘learned behavior’ crap,” Jim added. “What a crock.”

“Totally.”

“Tubular.”

“Like, wow.”

Jim’s eyes narrowed and he glared at his bed partner. “You’re a riot, Chief.”

“I know.” Blair looked at the bedside clock. “Think we ought to get out of bed?”

“Probably.” Neither man moved.

“Are we going to get out of bed?”

“Eventually.”

Sentinel and Guide snuggled closer and slept a while longer. And if you listened very closely, you could swear you heard a panther and wolf purring.


THE END