TITLE: Strange Fascination

SEQUEL: Reincarnation

AUTHOR: Scorpio

ARCHIVE: The Nesting Place, WWOMB, The Den

FANDOM: The Sentinel

PAIRING: Jim/Simon pre-slash

NOTES: [Blair's telepathy to Jim] (Jim's telepathy to Blair)

DISCLAIMER: Pet Fly Productions own all things Sentinel.

WARNING: Please read Reincarnation first or this will make *no* sense at all. It can be found at: http://the-nesting-place.com/archive/reincarnation.html

SUMMARY: As the Major Crimes Unit of the Cascade PD slowly heals from the loss of Blair Sandburg, Jim *finally* finds a way to convince Simon that he *hasn't* lost his mind from grief.

Reincarnation 2: Strange Fascination
by Scorpio

It had been over a month since Alex Barnes murdered Blair Sandburg by drowning him in the fountain at Rainier University. It had been a long and painful month of grieving and desperately trying to fill the sudden void that had appeared in the lives of everyone here at Major Crimes. Simon had watched as his people flip-flopped between horrified sadness at the loss of a friend, a colleague and a damn brilliant man, and hell-bent anger fueling the need to revenge themselves upon the body of Blair's murderer.

Megan Conner had lost her first American friend, the one person who truly understood her Aussie humor and could trade "outback" stories with her. Henri Brown had lost a friend who could match wits with him as they bickered back and forth about everything from women to music to sports to cars. Brian Rafe had lost a friend who had introduced him to the woman that it seemed he was destined to marry some time soon and he grieved that loss right alongside his fiance'. Joel had lost the man who had stood by his side and gave him the hope and courage to continue to fight the good fight instead of taking that early retirement he had been considering. The former Bomb-Squad Captain's entire life had taken a complete 180 turn out of bleak depression and into a place of joy and enthusiasm it hadn't seen in years. All because of Blair.

Then there was Jim Ellison. The big cop had lost so much, so very much more than anyone realized. He'd lost, not just a friend, but his *best* friend. He'd lost his roommate. He'd lost his staunchest supporter and fiercest protector. He'd lost his Guide.

And along with it, he'd apparently lost his mind.

Right after Blair had been found and pronounced dead, Jim had suffered an emotional breakdown the likes of which Simon had never witnessed before. Even as he himself felt the sharp-bright pain of Blair's death cut into him, he felt a wash of pity and sadness for his best Detective. And as he stood there watching a brilliant man get loaded into the Coroner's Van, another one had snapped into what he assumed was a temporary spell of insanity.

The only request Jim had made of Simon was for him to take the Sentinel out of the city and into Cascade's National Forest. He had told Simon that it was for Blair that he wanted to go. Simon was well aware of Blair's love for the peaceful serenity of the woods. How the younger man had enjoyed their fishing trips and camping trips immensely. So, while it was an unexpected and startling request, Simon couldn't say no to the distraught man falling apart at the seams.

Once they had arrived, Jim had taken off as if the devil himself was prodding him along and it was all Simon could do just to keep up. By some strange twist of fate, Jim had run across a newborn wolf-pup whose dam hadn't survived the birth. Then Jim dashed Simon's hopes that the Sentinel would eventually pull out of his strange madness by declaring that somehow the wolf-pup *was* Blair. Reborn.

Now it was more than a month later and Jim Ellison point blank *refused* to go *anywhere* without the small furry animal. He talked to it as if it could understand him even as he cuddled it and spoiled it and showered love and affection on it. He'd had him registered under the name "Second Chance", but just called him Chance. The one time he'd slipped and called him "Chief" at the station, both Megan and Joel had burst into tears. Jim never made that mistake again, however, in private to Simon he still insisted that the wolf-pup was Blair reborn.

When people started making a fuss about Jim bringing the small furry animal into the Station, Simon had been quick to put a stop to that. He had a very good idea how things would turn out if Jim had been ordered to get rid of the pup. Ugly and violent were only the *first* two descriptives that came to mind. So, he let it be known that Jim had found the pup the same day that Blair had died and how he had managed to save it's life from certain death. Simon also told people that Jim was now dedicated to "raising" the dog because it was the type of thing that Blair would do. That giving Chance a home was a way to honor Blair. That stopped the complaints, but not the rumors that Jim had flipped his wig and was hovering a hairs breadth away from being certifiable.

Simon's biggest fear was that Jim was setting himself up to crash over that line. Yesterday, after facing down Simon's admitted disbelief that Chance really was Blair, Jim had sworn that he would prove his claim. And now, with trepidation swirling in the pit of his stomach, Simon watched as Jim and Chance entered the Major Crimes Bullpen. Raising a silent prayer up that this confrontation wouldn't be the final straw that broke his best Detective's hold on reality, Simon stood and waited.

*

[Jim, let me down, let me down. It's Megan. With goodies, I smell goodies.]

With a soft ghost of a grin, Jim gently set down the tiny ball of fluffy fur. With his tail wagging so hard that his entire back end shook back and forth, his infant Guide began the mad scramble across the highly waxed and polished floor. His little claws clicked on the tile and he yapped in excitement as he clumsily dashed off in the direction of Inspector Megan Conner's desk.

"Woah there Chance. Slow down a bit. You don't want to skid head first into her filing cabinets."

[Jiiiii-iiim. Megan's got *goodies*.]

Jim took a deep breath and filtered out the normal scents of the Bullpen to try and figure out what his Guide had discovered. The scent of sugar cookies wafted in his nose and his grin widened. However, by that time, the little scamp had reached Megan's desk and tried to brace his front legs to stop. Finding no traction on the floor, Blair skidded slightly past her, yipping happily the entire way.

Laughing gently, Megan carefully scooped the infant puppy from up off the floor and cuddled him to her lap. Instantly she was attacked with fluffy cuddles and furry wiggles and a long wet tongue that tried to aim for her cheeks but was willing to settle for her hands. Megan's laughter grew.

"Oh my, settle down a bit mate or you'll wiggle yourself off of my lap."

Jim's deep soft chuckles joined in with Megan's. Blair, however, was undeterred. He twisted his body around until he could put his small front paws up on the top of Megan's desk while keeping his hind paws planted firmly on her legs. Then, dipping his head low, Blair began to snuffle at the paperwork littering the surface. In a surprisingly quick time, the infant wolf-pup uncovered a small paper plate with three sugar cookies left on it. His tail wagged harder then ever and he lunged, but Jim was too quick. With lightening reflexes, the Sentinel reached out and grabbed the entire plate. Blair whined.

"Um, ahhh Chance. You have to *ask* first."

[Please, please, please can I have a goodie?] "Arroooouuu?"

A loud squeaky canine type of noise echoed through the bullpen. Big sad pleading eyes that could melt the heart of a stone swept back and forth between Megan and Jim. With a delighted laugh, Megan leaned forward and hugged the little pup.

"Oh, what a clever boy you are. Of course you can have a biscuit."

Blair's tail began wagging frantically again. Chuckling, Jim took a single cookie off of the plate and held it out towards his Guide. The little wolf snapped it up and munched happily. Then, licking his chops, he turned big begging eyes towards the plate of sugar cookies once again.

[More, more, more. Please?]

Jim chuckled, but shook his head.

"No more goodies. We have to go see Simon. Remember?"

With that, Jim patted the small gift style box held against his one hip. Turning to plant a few last slobbery kisses on Megan, Blair scrambled back down to the ground and dashed across the floor once more. Luckily, Jim managed to scoop him up into his arms before he skidded into Simon Bank's office door.

Juggling both a wiggly puppy and a rectangular box in his arms, Jim knocked on the door. He had barely finished tapping on the wood when Simon pulled open the door, smiled gently at the wolf-pup and gestured for them to come in.

Jim didn't need his Sentinel sight to see the worry and concern deep in Simon's eyes and Jim was grateful to the bigger man for his sincerity and kindness. Jim wasn't supposed to know about it, but the gruff Police Captain had been calling in favors left and right as he bent over backwards to protect Jim over this past month. Simon was a true friend and a good man. There was many times when Jim knew he didn't deserve such gestures after all that he had done, but he appreciated it anyway.

The only thing that would make this messed up situation better was to finally convince Simon about the *ture* nature of Chance. Chance's body held his Guide's spirit, Blair's very soul, deep within it.

"Would you like some coffee, Jim?"

Jim flashed him a smile.

"Sure Simon. That would be wonderful. While you're doing that, I'll just set up over here on the conference table if you don't mind."

Simon nodded his head and gestured towards the large oak table.

"By all means, go right ahead."

"Thanks."

With that, Jim turned and gently placed his Guide on the surface of the table. The small puppy instantly placed his nose to the smooth wood and snuffled it as he wandered around exploring all the interesting scents imbedded into the polished surface. Watching for a long moment, Jim felt his heart tug at him once again. Blair's mind and intelligence was unspoiled within that tiny canine frame, but the emotions, excitability and physical limitations were that of an infant. An infant wolf.

(Be careful fur-face. Don't accidentally walk off the edge. The floor's a long way down.)

An indignant snort was his only answer. Grinning a bit, Jim opened the box and pulled out an old and battered Ouija Board and pointer. He unfolded the cheap cardboard game and placed the board on the table. Simon choose that moment to walk over with two mugs of steaming fragrant coffee. He hesitated at the sight of the Ouija Board.

"Uh... Jim? Please tell me this isn't what I think it is."

Jim grimaced in mild embarrassment. He didn't need to be a mindreader to know what Simon was thinking. With a sigh, he waved a hand towards the chair across from him.

"No, Simon, it *isn't* what you think. I'm not going to try and contact the dead or anything. I'm just using this because Chance can push the pointer around the board with his nose and paw to the various letters. I've told you that Blair's spirit lives inside of Chance and you asked me to prove it. This is how. A normal dog won't be able to answer questions, no matter *how* well trained they are."

Simon grunted in acknowledgment of Jim's logic, but his expression clearly showed that he was amazed that he was even participating in this... experiment. With a sigh of relief that Simon hadn't laughed in his face, Jim sat down at the table across from Simon. He situated the gameboard so that it was midway between them and facing the length of the table where the puppy was now standing and watching them.

(Blair? Come over here. We're ready to start. You up to this?)

The wolf-pup trotted over to the board, his bright intense gaze locking with Jim's. His tail wagged.

[Yeah Jim. I'm ready.]

Carefully, Jim set the plastic triangle shaped pointer in the middle of the board and then turned to face the infant wolf-pup.

"Okay fur-face. First question. Am I a Sentinel?"

Chance's tail wagged harder for a moment, then he dipped his head down and nudged the pointer across the board to the far corner. The longest point of the triangle piece was aimed directly at the printed word "YES". Jim smiled and reached out to rub and pet the puppy.

"Good boy..."

The tail wagged frantically and Jim moved the pointer back into position. Simon, however, had a pained look on his face.

"Jim. That's not really proof. He could have been *trained* to do that."

Jim nodded his head. He had expected this reaction to that question. Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out his thin evidence notebook and a pen.

"Go ahead and ask him a tough question. I'll write down the letters on here."

Simon flashed him a sad look, sighed and then turned to face the wolf-pup.

"Fine. Um... Who is the leader of the Patriot Sons? And how did Major Crimes first learn of them?"

[Oooo. A two part question. Extra points for Simon.]

Jim stifled a giggle and readied his pen. Slowly and with much effort, the infant pup began to push the pointer around the board. At each letter he stopped at, Jim spoke it aloud to confirm it was the correct one and then wrote it down. Once the puppy was done, Jim showed the page to Simon.

KINCAD WAS LEADER. ATTACKED BULLPEN. VENDING MACHINES.

Simon stared at the puppy with his jaw hanging wide open and his eyes bugging out.

"...blair?..."

The wolf-pup wagged his tail so hard he almost fell on his furry butt. Then he went and began moving the pointer around the board again. Once more, Jim wrote down each letter.

YES SIMON. I AM BLAIR.


the end.