Disclaimer: Pet Fly and Paramount own the copyright to The Sentinel and its characters. This piece of fan fiction was written solely for the love of the characters and to share freely with other fans. No profit is being made from the posting of this story.

Acknowledgments: Many thanks to Mary and B, who told me this was okay to post. :-)

Rating: PG

Warnings: This story is GEN! Do not be put off when you encounter the word "love." Just keep reading, please.

Summary: Jim finds out the true meaning of Valentine's Day.

Comments welcome and appreciated!

February fourteenth - just another day for Jim Ellison. He walked into the bullpen, doing his best to ignore the bright red and white streamers and hearts with which Megan had insisted on decorating the room. Vases of flowers and heart-shaped boxes of candy adorned several desks, but Jim paid them no heed, making his way straight to his desk and the pile of reports waiting there for his attention.

It didn't help that he'd broken up with Vickie just last week, or that Sandburg had been touting his "hot date" for the evening for the past several days. When you were single and currently unattached, Valentine's Day was just plain depressing.

His mood wasn't particularly lightened when Sandburg swept in with a big smile on his face.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Megan," Blair greeted the Aussie Inspector. She looked up and smiled widely when Jim's partner handed her a rose.

"Why, thank you, Sandy! And a happy Valentine's Day to you, too. Have a date for tonight?" Megan asked.

Blair shook his head, his smile still firmly in place. "Nope. I had plans, but they fell through. Actually, though, I think I've got another prospect, but I'll have to see if it works out."

"Well, good luck!" Megan patted the anthropologist on the arm and turned back to her work.

Sauntering over to Jim's desk, Blair perched himself on the one clear corner. "Hey, Jim. What's up?"

"Apparently, you," Jim answered dryly. "There's always another one in the wings if one date doesn't work out, isn't there?"

Blair's smile faded and he frowned. "Geez, Jim, what kind of a dog do you think I am?"

"The kind that would jump a table leg," Jim grumbled, turning back to his work.

"I just stopped by to see if I could be of any help," said Blair with a sigh, changing the subject. "I guess you're not in the mood for company today."

"Sorry, Sandburg," Jim growled, giving the young man a brief glance. "I'm just trying to get through the day."

"I understand," Blair said softly. "Valentine's Day is hard on people who don't have a special someone to share it with." He slipped off the desk and stood. "Guess I'll go back to Rainier and get some more work done on the diss. Take it easy, Jim. I'll see you tonight."

"Yeah, bye --" Jim gave his partner an absentminded wave as he poked his nose into another file folder.

~*~*~*~*~

The evening didn't appear as if it was going to go much better than his day. Sandburg, who had been dressed smartly but casually, had taken off a half hour earlier for his date, leaving Jim alone. He rummaged in the refrigerator for a beer, finding only a single open bottle with a post-it note clearly marking the beverage as belonging to one Blair Sandburg.

"Tough luck, kid," grumbled Jim, taking the bottle from the bottom shelf and disposing of the note. He walked over to the couch and collapsed onto the cushions, picking up the remote control and turning on the basketball game. He took a sip of the beer, and found it had gone flat. With a disgusted sigh, he set the bottle down on the table and put his feet up.

He tried to get interested in the game, but the Jags were down by twenty-one points early in the second quarter. Jim turned off the TV, deciding he didn't need to be even more depressed, and got up to walk over and look out the balcony windows to the bay and the city beyond.

He wasn't sure how long he had stood there, staring out at the cold February night, when he caught the sound of footsteps in the hall and smelled a whiff of a familiar scent. He turned, just as Sandburg opened the door and stepped into the apartment.

"What are you doing home?" Jim asked, walking over to greet his friend. He was truly curious. Sandburg hadn't been gone for more than an hour.

Blair was carrying a sack and a six-pack of cold beer. He thrust out his hand, the familiar white bag dangling from his fingers. "Thought you could use a little company tonight."

Jim took the Wonder Burger sack and opened it, the full aroma of the burgers and fries hitting his nostrils with a heady scent. Tucked in with the food was a card.

As Jim studied the contents of the bag, Blair took the beer over to the refrigerator and put four of the six bottles onto the lower shelf. He walked back over to his friend holding the other two.

"What's this?" asked Jim, lifting the soft beige envelope from the sack.

"You needed some cheering up," Blair answered, taking back the bag while Jim opened the card.

The front was a soft montage of flowers with the words "You're a Special Friend" written in red foil script. Jim cautiously opened the card and read, "We go back a long time, and some of my very best memories are of the good times we've had together. I'm thinking of you today, and I want you to know you'll always be a special part of my life. Happy Valentine's Day." But what really hit home was the signature, "Love, Blair."

Jim hadn't even noticed that as he read, Blair had guided him over to the couch and lowered him gently to the cushions, then settled in beside him with the Wonder Burger sack on his lap and the beer bottles on the coffee table. He looked up and frowned at his friend.

"What's the matter, Jim?" asked Blair. "It's all right for me to love you, isn't it? I mean, fathers and sons love each other; brothers love each other... why can't friends? Love doesn't have to be romantic, you know. It just means that you care about another person, like I care about you." He took a burger out of the sack and handed it to Jim. "I know how much you hate Valentine's Day, and I just wanted to try and make it a little easier."

"What about your date?"

"You're my 'date', you big goober," Blair laughed. "Eat your burger before it gets cold."

Jim unwrapped the paper and took a bite, savoring the flavors. A smile began to curve the corners of his mouth as he turned to look back at Sandburg. "Thanks."

Blair grinned at the simple acknowledgment and handed Jim his fries. Reaching for a bottle, he twisted off the cap and took a long swallow of beer.

Jim picked up the remote and turned the TV back on. The Jags were up by three at the beginning of the third quarter. He took another bite of his burger, followed by a long swig of beer. The warm presence of his friend radiated from nearby. He smiled and settled back into the cushions.

Maybe Valentine's Day wasn't so bad after all.

~finis~