RAINIER UNIVERSITY

"Blair!!"

Blair turned on hearing his name called as he crossed the green outside Hargrove Hall with Jim. A young woman came bounding over; her blonde curls flying as she sprinted to catch up to them.

"Hi Annabelle," Blair said as he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. The Sentinel continued to keep watch on their surroundings vigilantly.

"Hi Jim," Annabelle added as the detective's eyes took in every section of their perimeter.

"Annabelle," he said, his eyes not leaving their surroundings for a moment.

The Sentinel's eyes scrutinised closely every person that moved anywhere within a fifteen foot radius of them and analysed every potential threat to his Guide instantly.

"He's in cop mode," Blair stated with a grin, as a way of explanation for his friend's behaviour. But Blair knew from the look of concentration on Jim's face, that he was a Sentinel in Blessed Protector mode. Annabelle smiled back at the detective unperturbed by almost being ignored by the cop.

"I'm glad you're back Blair," she began. "I've got some notes for you and have your classes covered. I couldn't cover them all but I got Roger to do a few for you."

"Thank you for everything Annabelle. I don't know what I'd do without your help."

"I don't know exactly what's been going on with you Blair, but I'm happy to help."

"It's a long sad story," the anthropologist said his face becoming clouded with anguish for a moment "but that's for another day." Blair added trying to remain positive and not let Heather's vendetta against him bring him down. He brightened again and smiled at his friend. Friends like Annabelle made everything worthwhile.

Annabelle gave Blair some notes and then had to run as she had a meeting in fifteen minutes. The young TA gave Blair a kiss on the cheek and moved away with a 'bye' to Jim, who nodded his head in acknowledgement.

"We'll catch up soon," Blair called after her.

"I'll hold you to that," Annabelle called back as she waved and smiled at her friend, but continued to hurry to her meeting.

Neither the detective nor the anthropologist noticed the green eyes observing them through a pair of binoculars.

Heather Hanbury watched the exchange with interest. She couldn't hear what they were saying from her vantage point, but with the cop present and on high alert, she couldn't afford to get too close.

Her ruby red lips formed a thin line of resentment and then turned into a sneer as she thought of her beloved brother. Leo couldn't kiss a pretty girl anymore, or smile, or love anyone ever again. The binoculars focused on Blair Sandburg again as he watched his friend depart. She could see the affection the focus of her hatred had for the young woman.

Heather's lips formed into a pout as she watched the blonde haired woman walking away and her mind was filled with thoughts of nothing but retribution and revenge.

"Did you have to be so rude," Blair said to his friend as they made their way to his office.

"I didn't say anything," the detective defended.

"Exactly my point," Blair responded. "You said all of one word to her."

"I'm working Chief, I'm here to keep you safe and not socialise with your friends."

"Whatever man," Blair replied with a touch of submission that wasn't usually in his voice, as if he couldn't be bothered to argue the point.

"I know you're tired, Chief."

"I'm alright Jim," Blair replied "just a little jumpy and frustrated I guess. It's knowing she's out there somewhere but not knowing where is like an itch you just can't quite scratch. I feel like I'm being watched all the time."

The grad student's right hand moved subconsciously to his left arm and he rubbed the area where the needle marks were. He couldn't feel them through the material of his jacket but he knew they were there, a badge of dishonour for the actions of a madwoman.

"I understand what you're saying," Jim added as they entered the building. "That's why I'm here, so she won't get to you."

"But what if she gets to you?" Blair said, more concerned for his friend than for himself.

"Is that what this is all about, you're concerned for me?"

"Yes, no, I don't want to sound pathetic here but what if you get in the way when she comes after me."

"I'm a trained cop, I'll be able to handle Heather Hanbury."

"But what if she hires someone like she did when she had those men kidnap me?"

"Chief, you're working yourself up over nothing. I'm here and she's not getting anywhere near you! That's a promise."

Blair knew that that was the end of the discussion.

PUB NEAR THE RAINIER CAMPUS

The pub near the Rainier campus was full of students socialising and winding down after a hard day of education. Annabelle Burges chatted and laughed with her friends and fellow students whilst drinking a chilled white wine. She felt relaxed and happy. She remembered she had to get an essay ready in a couple of days' time and she hadn't yet made a start on it. Reluctantly she bid her friends goodnight and left to go home and at least make a start on it that night. She knew what she wanted to write, she just had to get it in some sort of order.

She left the pub and started the short walk to her flat. It was dark but she felt safe as the campus was well lit and there was usually always someone milling around. Her flat was only a few minutes' walk away. She'd done the walk hundreds of times late at night and on her own.

"Excuse me."

Annabelle started at first when she heard a female voice behind her, but she wasn't unduly concerned when she realised it was a woman.

"Yes," Annabelle replied.

"I'm sorry to bother you but I was wondering if I could use your cellphone. My car broke down and I need to call my husband to come fetch me."

Annabelle smiled. "Of course," she replied and reached inside her purse for her phone, only too happy to help someone in need.

When she looked up again the woman had a gun trained one her.

"Come with me," the woman said her voice hard, as she indicated with the barrel of the gun for Annabelle to move.

The TA student was frozen with fear.

"W-What is this? If it's money you want take my p-purse, there's not much in there but you're welcome to it."

"Do I look like I need money?" the woman hissed with a viperous tone that bridged on disgust that the woman had the affront to think she needed a handout. "Get going or I'll shoot you where you stand!" she said vehemently.

"Okay," Annabelle replied, her legs feeling like jelly. She looked round for someone, anyone who might be witnessing her abduction who could help her. But frustratingly she saw no one.

"Get in," the woman said.

Annabelle was brought back to the present as they had stopped in front of a black car.

"You drive."

Annabelle got in behind the wheel and the woman got into the passenger seat.

"Where are we going?" Annabelle asked, scared to her marrow.

"Shut up and drive!"

The car drove off into the night.

THE LOFT

"Jim, you are seriously stressing me out here," Blair said as he sat at the table in the loft reading. He watched his friend pace around the apartment and then for the umpteenth time walk over to, and stand by, the large glass doors that overlooked the bay. The night had closed in but that didn't make any difference to a Sentinel's eyesight, as Jim gazed out into the inky blackness. "Jim!!"

"Uh, yeah Chief," the detective replied when he finally realised his friend had spoken.

"Jim, just relax will you! We're safe here."

Blair had been on edge at the campus feeling vulnerable in the open, but at the loft he felt safe and secure with Sentinel protection. But Jim was still tense and in Blessed Protector mode, like a sentry he guarded his territory and his Guide. He was always vigilant and on alert.

Blair moved his head from side to side to stretch the too tense muscles in his neck. He stood up from the table, then walked over to the fridge and took out two beers, before moving to stand next to his friend. He silently handed his Sentinel one of the bottles and then took a drink from his own.

"I feel her Chief," Jim said his eyes looking out into the Cascade night. Blair wasn't sure what Jim was seeing or whether he was actually looking at anything.

"What do you mean?"

"This woman, Heather, she's closing in. I can feel it."

"Good. Then you'll arrest her and this will all be over."

"You've suffered so much already Chief."

"Heather's suffered too."

Jim's pale blue eyes turned to this friend. "After everything she's done to you, you feel sorry for her."

"People do all sorts of things when they feel pain or grief. Heather raised Leo, it's understandable that she felt a maternal instinct towards him. When he died she reacted instinctively like any 'mother' would when their young was endangered."

"Animals don't get their enemies hooked on heroin."

"True her methods are somewhat way out there man and I'll be glad when she's caught. But I don't hate her, I pity her I guess. So much hatred, it's consuming her. It's sad really."

"If only more people were like you Chief," Jim replied incredulous that his friend could feel so magnanimous against the woman who had done so much to hurt him already. "The world would be an incredible place."

"It already is a pretty incredible place, Jim" Blair replied lifting his beer bottle to his lips. He had been to so many places and interacted with so many different cultures and people, that he would never be tired by what the planet had to show him next.

Jim smiled at his friend and then gazed back out into the lonely darkness, hoping his Sentinel abilities could find Heather before she endangered his friend again.

BACK ALLEY IN CASCADE

Annabelle looked round the dim alley that the crazy woman had brought her to. They hadn't driven for long in her car when the woman had ordered her to stop and get out. Annabelle was only too aware of the gun that was still aimed at her. There was nothing but rubbish littered about, and overflowing dumpsters littered the dark alley. The smell of rubbish and decay filled the air with a malodorous scent that made the young TA's eyes water.

"Stop," the woman commanded. "Turn around."

Annabelle turned round to face the woman, her heart hammering with terror. A street lamp stood a few feet away from her, it's light flickering slightly as she stood in its illumination.

The woman stooped down and rolled something along the ground towards her. Annabelle looked down at it. When it stopped moving she realised it was a syringe.

"Pick it up."

"I don't understand."

"Pick it up!! I won't tell you again," she spat.

Annabelle picked up the syringe. Looking at the clear liquid inside she wondered with revulsion at what it could be.

"Inject yourself with it."

"What! Are you crazy! What's in it?"

"Shut up and just do it," and she aimed the gun at the young TA for emphasis.

Tears fell unbidden down her cheeks as Annabelle turned the syringe on herself.

"What have I done to you? Please don't make me do this," Annabelle pleaded.

Annabelle didn't know what was in the syringe but it couldn't be good whatever it was.

"Do it now!!" and the command was followed by the hammer on the gun being cocked back as Heather didn't show an ounce of mercy.

Annabelle was sobbing now as she plunged the needle into her arm and depressed the plunger. Her heart hammered in her chest as the liquid disappeared into her body. She immediately felt the effects and the warmth overwhelmed her. The rush was incredible and she realised she had been drugged with something very powerful. Why she didn't know.

Annabelle sank to the floor, her legs unable to support her. Lying on her back she felt like she was floating but her eyes felt leaden and wanted to close. The young TA could see the light flickering and thought how annoying it was; then the woman came into her vision, partially obscuring the lamppost's annoying light.

"Sorry kid, I just want you to know. It's not personal. But Blair Sandburg has to pay."

Annabelle's eyes closed and she wondered how the woman knew Blair and what he had to do with this. There was that incident in El Valparaiso on that dig but she didn't know all the facts. Annabelle wondered if this angry woman was involved in that. She knew Blair would tell her when he was ready to. But then her thoughts became foggy as her mind drifted off and an all encompassing darkness claimed her.

Heather watched dispassionately as the young TA succumbed to the OD of heroin.

She felt nothing, no remorse, no sadness: It had just been a means to an end. Heather picked up Annabelle's purse and then threw something on top of the supine woman's body. She walked away then without a second glance.

THE LOFT

"Chief, your bagel's ready!" Jim called as the toaster popped up a perfectly toasted bagel.

"Coming," the grad student replied as he stumbled out of his room, yawning as he walked.

"I heard you tossing and turning. You get any sleep last night?" Jim asked.

"Some. Sorry if I kept you awake. Every time I closed my eyes, I could see Heather's face laughing at me."

"We'll get her Chief."

"I know you will," Blair replied as he smoothed a layer of cream cheese over the top of his bagel and took a bite. Jim put a glass of orange juice beside his friend's plate.

"This is good," the grad student stated not realising how hungry he was until he had started to eat.

Jim regarded his friend and saw the dark smudges under his eyes and the paler than normal appearance. He had certainly looked better, but considering everything he had been through his Guide was holding it together.

Jim's bagel popped up and he joined his friend at the table. He smothered his bagel with the cream cheese and began to eat it. At that moment his cellphone chirped.

"Ellison," he said as he swallowed. "Hello, sir. Yeah, Blair's here."

Blair listened to Jim's side of the conversation. "Where? What? Blair's name. Yeah. Okay, we'll be right there," and the detective hung up.

"What's going on?" the anthropologist asked.

"That was Simon, a body has been found along with a note with your name on it."

"What!" Blair replied horrified. "It's Heather's isn't it!? She's responsible. It's a message to me. Oh God, is it anyone I know?"

"Whoa there, Chief?"

"Oh, sorry Jim."

"We don't know who it is, there's no ID on the body."

Blair stood his breakfast forgotten as he wondered who the dead person was and dreading what his involvement to it could be.

Jim and Blair arrived at the scene. Blair was balling his hands nervously into fists wondering who it could possibly be. Jim parked the truck and they got out to a melee of activity. Two blue and white patrol cars were parked at the end of an alley and an area was taped off. Police officers milled around as they secured the scene and looked for any obvious evidence. It was still early enough that it hadn't attracted any voyeurs.

"Captain!" Jim called, as he noticed the large man inside the taped off area.

Jim showed his badge to a uniformed officer as he and Blair moved inside the cordoned area. Blair flashed his credentials as he followed the detective. Though he was dreading what they might find.

"Jim, Sandburg," the captain acknowledged.

"What we got?" the detective asked.

"The body of a Caucasian woman, approximately 20 – 25 years old."

"What about the note on the body?" Blair asked.

Simon took them over to where the dead body lay.

"Oh God, no!" Blair uttered in total shock. "It's Annabelle Burges a TA friend of mine from Rainier. It can't be!"

The blood was vanishing from Blair's face and Jim thought his friend was going to fall over.

"Easy Chief," the Sentinel said gently.

The note was still on the body and Jim read it with his Sentinel eyesight without bending down.

THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING –
BLAIR SANDBURG ALL YOUR FRIENDS WILL DIE

"Sorry Sandburg," the captain sympathised.

"Why would she...I don't understand. Annabelle never hurt Heather or her brother. This has got to stop! We've got to stop her. All my friends. What if she comes after you Jim or Simon?...I..."

"Easy Chief," Jim said, he could hear the anguish in his friend's voice but he didn't know what to say that would placate his friend and reassure him.

"Sorry Jim, I just can't handle this," and Blair backed away as his friend tried to reassure him.

Blair turned and bolted from the scene.

"Chief!" the Sentinel called at the retreating figure.

"Let him go Jim," Simon said to his detective. He could see the haunted look in the anthropologist's eyes. "He just needed time to sort it all out. Give him a few minutes, he can't get far and he'll have calmed down by then."

Jim nodded and used his Sentinel vision to watch his friend disappear round a corner. Heather was still out there and he didn't like his friend being on his own. He mentally decided to give the scene a quick going over and then he would go find his Guide and make sure he was safe.

RAINIER UNIVERSITY

Blair caught a bus to the university. He didn't see much of the city going past as he gazed out of the window. All he could see was Annabelle's lifeless corpse. She was only twenty-six and had done nothing but help him out through all his missed lessons and stepped in to help him out on more occasions than he could count. And now, now she was dead by a mad woman's crusade against him. It was wrong and Blair felt angry at the senseless loss of a young woman with her whole life ahead of her.

Blair went straight to his office once he got to Rainier. He shut himself away and sat at his desk, just brooding on everything that had happened to him. The imprisonment, being forced to become a junkie and now Annabelle. What if Heather did go after Jim next or Simon?

It was almost too much for Blair to cope with. Normally he was pragmatic and could work through any situation but this time, this time was different. Blair felt himself falling into a dark place and he couldn't stop the descent. He didn't want to stop it.

The phone rang on his desk and Blair's eyes glanced at the device but he didn't answer it. Then his cellphone started ringing and he knew it was Jim. Blair ignored it. He wanted to be left alone and feel the sadness inside of him. He owed it to Annabelle to feel sad. It was too much, he felt too much remorse and felt responsible for the young TA's senseless murder.

Blair was remembering something he'd heard, a rumour about someone on the campus, a student. He knew it was the only way to deal with what was happening to him.

The anthropologist left his office and went in search of the student. Ricky Talbot didn't believe Blair at first, he thought it was a scam, a trick to get him into trouble. But then Blair showed him the track marks on his arms and Talbot's eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hair. It showed you never really new anyone. Then he was all too eager to sell heroin to Blair.

Blair pocketed the heroin without emotion and walked away and left the campus for home. He could remember how the heroin had made him feel, the rush and the incredible feeling it gave him. It also made him forget everything and that was what Blair needed. He needed to forget Heather and everything that was wrong with his life. He could put aside the guilt he was feeling, the intense remorse and sorrow for Annabelle's death that was welling inside him. The guilt was so strong it was going to rip him in two if he didn't find a way to control it. The heroin would take all the pain away. The heroin would let him do that.

THE LOFT

Jim had tried Blair's cellphone a dozen times but the grad student hadn't answered. The Sentinel was concerned for his friend, so he decided to go home. He'd tried to phone the loft but the machine was picking up. The detective had concluded his Guide didn't want to speak to anyone, but he wasn't just anyone. He had to talk to someone and given the opportunity the Sentinel hoped it would be him.

As he exited the elevator the detective could detect the steady heartbeat in the apartment. He felt relieved to hear that familiar staccato and was glad his Guide was safely home.

But as soon as he opened the door to the loft a smell immediately assaulted his senses. Jim could smell the drugs. It was a bitter, acrid smell and he stopped just inside the door. Blair was sat on the sofa and he was looking at a small plastic bag, that contained white powder, on the coffee table in front of him.

Jim felt immediately angry but he knew he had to handle the situation carefully. Blair was on a knife's edge at the moment, being pushed towards the edge of an abyss. Anyone would be affected by the crap the grad student had had to put up with lately.

Jim went and sat beside his friend without saying a word, his eyes drifting to the small white baggie in front of him.

"I bought some heroin," the grad student said matter of factly, as if it was something you bought every day, but without taking his eyes off from the powder.

"You what? Who from?"

"It doesn't matter. I didn't take any of it, I swear. I was tempted but I didn't. You'd know if I was lying. "

That was true, Jim could tell that no heroin had been heated in the loft and he couldn't smell any on his friend.

"Why Chief?"

"I couldn't cope," his friend replied, his voice small and vulnerable. "After everything I've been through and now Annabelle. It's too much. I wanted to forget, make it all go away, but I couldn't take the drug. I realised it's only a brief respite and I remembered the withdrawal. That was worse than the pain I'm feeling now. I won't let Heather win."

Jim sighed "Good, that sounds like the Blair I know."

Jim looks at the drugs with distaste. "You know, this puts me in an awkward position. I'm a cop Chief, with drugs in my home. Not a good look."

"It's always about you isn't it Jim!? Not how I'm feeling," Blair snapped angrily.

"Calm down Chief, I was only stating a fact. It's all right, I can take care of the drugs."

Jim picked up the baggie of heroin and walked to the bathroom. He threw it in the toilet and flushed it away.

"I'm sorry for snapping," Blair apologised when Jim returned to the lounge.

"It's going to be okay."

"All I could think was what if Heather comes after you or someone else I know from the PD or the university. Someone I care about. All because of me."

"No Chief, don't blame yourself for any of this. This is Heather's choice."

"Part of me realises that but another part of me thinks that if I hadn't caused Leo to drop out of uni, none of this would be happening." Blair sighed loudly feeling the pull of that dark place again. "I think I'm going to lie down for a bit."

"You okay Chief? You're not sick or anything are you?"

"No Jim I'm fine, just tired, tired of all this."

"I understand. I'll make us something to eat and call you when it's ready. Okay?"

"Okay Jim." Blair got up and walked to his room. At the French doors he stopped and turned round to look at his friend. "Thanks Jim for understanding."

"You're welcome Chief."

Blair sighed "Sorry about the drugs man. It won't happen again."

"I know."

Blair nodded and then walked into his room. Jim watched his friend with concern and he couldn't remember ever seeing him look so dejected and sad.

RAINIER UNIVERSITY

Next morning Blair was still feeling depressed and despondent. The incident with Annabelle was the last straw, he had resisted taking the heroin, but he was still feeling down and in a funk. Jim had to give evidence that morning in Court but he didn't want to leave Blair alone, so he phoned Simon and voiced his concerns. The Major Crimes captain understood and sent over Joel Taggart to protect the anthropologist whilst the Sentinel was doing his duty. Blair objected to the babysitting routine but he didn't have the fight left in him to remonstrate too much.

Blair went about his daily routine but he was just going through the motions out of habit. The university was teeming with students and Joel was vigilantly watching the comings and goings of everyone. The majority of the time they spent in Blair's office. The only time Blair left the office was when he needed to go to the bathroom and the Police captain insisted on accompanying the grad student even there; much to Blair's disgust.

Back in his office the anthropologist was still grumbling about being taken to the bathroom like a child, as he sat down behind his desk. Joel couldn't stop the amused smile on his face as he picked up his half drunk cup of coffee. He carried on drinking as the grad student went back to work. After a while Joel started to get up to check their perimeter to make sure everything was clear, but he couldn't move. His limbs felt as heavy as lead and he slumped back in the chair.

"Are you alright Joel?" Blair asked alarmed, as he saw the captain struggling to stand.

Joel couldn't answer, he knew something was very wrong. It was then he wondered if someone had spiked his coffee, he had felt fine before he had drunk it. He wanted to tell Blair about the coffee but he couldn't speak.

"I'll get help," Blair said as he reached for his office phone. He picked it up but the line was dead. "Damn!" He reached for his cellphone which he had put on his desk earlier but it was gone. That was strange he was sure he had put it down on the desk when he had entered his office first thing. So Jim could reach him if he rang.

"Don't panic Joel," he said as he rushed to the man's side. He released his friend's tie, so he could breathe okay. "I'm going to go for help. I won't be long."

Joel tried to speak to tell the grad student to use his cellphone but he couldn't seem to form the words. Blair rushed from the room to go to reception to use the uni's phone. As he rushed along the corridor, which was unusually empty, he suddenly had the realisation that he could use the detective's cellphone. His office was closer than the reception area so he did a u-turn and ran back to his office.

As he entered his office he came face to face with a woman who was bent over the detective. Blair knew immediately who it was. Heather Hanbury. She had a syringe in her hand which she was preparing to insert into the detective's arm. Blair knew it had to contain an OD of heroin, just like it had done with Annabelle.

"Get away from him!!" Blair shouted at her.

Heather's green eyes narrowed as they locked onto Blair's dusky blue eyes. Her eyes were full of a diametric hatred aimed solely at the grad student. Blair felt like reeling back from the sheer force of that gaze, it was almost like a tangible blow.

Heather didn't speak she just continued to glare at Blair. The anthropologist was wondering how to help his friend. All he could see was the syringe poised to pierce his friend's arm.

"Leave him alone," Blair said as they stared at each other.

Heather stood up and took a step away from Joel as Blair took a step closer to the detective. The two continued to circle each other, each step taking Blair closer to the immobile detective and Heather a step closer to the door. She still had the heroin in her hand. Blair thought about trying to stop her but Joel was his first concern.

At the door her eyes were still on Blair, they were glittering like burnished jewels as her hatred flowed off of her.

"Another day," she uttered with a malicious smile and then stepped back through the open door and was gone.

Blair sagged a little as the immediate threat was gone. He reached the detective's side and felt inside his jacket pockets until he found the cellphone he remembered he would be carrying. He dialled '911' and summoned an ambulance.

Joel still couldn't move, but Blair tried to keep his friend as calm as he could, as they waited patiently for the ambulance to arrive.

CASCADE GENERAL HOSPITAL

Blair waited anxiously and alone in the hospital's waiting room until Simon arrived. Blair didn't have to wait long as he had phoned Major Crimes' captain straight after he had phoned for the ambulance. He filled Simon in on what he knew as they waited. The anthropologist didn't phone Jim in case he was still in court.

Joel's phone rang which Blair still had on him. Jim had finished in court and had gone straight to the university, only for his Sentinel hearing to pick up the 'gossip' circulating the university about the ambulance on campus that morning. Blair's office was empty and the Sentinel had tried to phone Blair's cellphone but there was no answer. So he tried Joel's phone as he had been guarding his friend. When an excitable Blair answered, telling his friend about what had happened; Jim was on his way to the hospital in moments.

When he arrived at the hospital Jim was pleased to see that his friend was physically okay. He was concerned about Joel of course but Blair was his first concern. Blair filled him in with the details, how his office phone wasn't working and his cellphone was missing and how he had confronted Heather in his office as she tried to overdose Joel like she had Annabelle.

It went unsaid but they knew that if Blair hadn't gone back to his office when he had, that Joel would be dead now. Even a few seconds longer and Heather would have already injected the overdose of heroin into the black captain.

A doctor came into the waiting area then and told them that Joel had been given rohypnol but that he would be fine as the drug was already starting to wear off.

The Police officers and observer were glad that their friend was going to be alright.

As they waited to be let in to see their friend, Jim's cellphone rang. When the detective answered it a smarmy female voice spoke.

"I believe you're looking for me, Detective Ellison."

The detective knew straight away that she was using Blair's cellphone to contact him.

"I'm going to get you," he replied venomously.

Those words incited alarmed looks from both Blair and Simon. Simon reached for his cellphone to start a trace on his detective's phone.

Heather laughed. "Then why don't you come for me now. I'm at the hospital and I'm in the parking lot waiting but just for you detective. Just for you," and she laughed again and cut off the connection.

"You're going to confront her aren't you?" Blair said as the detective put his phone back into his pocket.

"Yes I am," Jim replied calmly, reaching for his gun to make sure it was ready.

Simon finished his call, knowing that Heather hadn't been on long enough to get a trace.

"You can't go alone," the captain said.

"I'm not afraid of her," the Sentinel replied.

"Well I am, but I'm still coming with you," Blair replied. Having something positive to do forced the despair he was feeling away. It was time to act and not be afraid.

"Not this time Chief," the detective replied adamantly.

"I'm your back-up Jim. This is all happening because of me; you're not leaving me behind. What if…what if she tries to kill you?"

"Chief, I think that's her intention. She's not hiding behind fake wigs and taking on unarmed women. This is a new tactic, she's becoming confrontational and that will work to my advantage. She's totally unbalanced. I'm going to use that to my benefit."

"I'm not going to let you go alone Jim. I'm going with you!" Blair was equally as steadfast and resolute as his Sentinel.

"Jim," Simon began, "the kid has a point."

"Simon, I can't believe you're siding with Blair on this. Blair's not a cop. The woman's obsessed with making Blair's life hell. I'm not going to deliver him into her clutches."

"That's why if the kid goes she'll be off balance. She won't expect you to endanger your partner."

"Well that makes me feel a whole lot better," Blair replied wondering whose side the captain was actually on.

But he was adamant on backing his partner up and whilst his two friends had been talking he had walked over to the door to wait for his partner. Jim was secretly pleased and proud of his friend's spunk. He couldn't help but think he would make a gutsy cop if he ever wanted a change of career from anthropology.

"Okay Chief," the detective conceded "but you do everything I say when I say it. Okay!"

"Okay!" Blair replied.

"Let's roll," Jim said with a nod to his captain.

The Major Crimes captain watched his detective and his partner leave the hospital room as he waited to see Joel.

CASCADE GENERAL MAIN ENTRANCE

Jim emerged from the hospital's main entrance, Blair waiting in the foyer until the coast was clear. The Sentinel checked his surroundings. There were a number of people as well as cars and ambulances in his immediate vicinity. Then a car horn honked loudly. Jim turned to see a blonde haired woman smiling at him from behind the wheel of a black Honda. His Sentinel vision zeroed in on her and he made a positive ID of Heather Hanbury. She smiled at him, her eyes full of purpose and also of insanity.

Heather started to pull away and the detective noted the Honda's registration number – JCG 845. The detective ran for his pick-up and drove back to the front entrance to pick up his partner and then they were in pursuit.

Heather sped up as soon as she saw the blue and white pick-up following her. She wanted a confrontation with the detective but she wasn't going to make it easy for him. She turned corners and sped down roads recklessly making other cars move out of the way. Every few moments she checked her rear view mirror, smiling as she did so, to make sure that the Ford was following her.

It was.

Eventually Heather pulled into a weed encrusted parking lot, in front of a ruined church. The church had burnt down in a fire four years previously and had not been rebuilt. It was due for demolition in the near future but now it was going to be the venue of Heather's showdown with another of Blair's friends.

The Ford came to a stop besides Heather's car with a burst of dust behind its back tyres. The Sentinel listened and he could hear a heartbeat inside the church.

"She's inside," he said to Blair as the detective drew his gun and immediately moved towards the derelict open front door.

Jim stood on the door's threshold with Blair a step behind him. He looked inside taking in all the church's interior at once. The roof was gone and the grey clouds that covered Cascade that afternoon were visible. Weeds grew in crevices all over and some of the pews were burnt but others had survived the fire and still sat waiting for a congregation that would never come again.

At the front, in front of the altar, Jim saw a figure kneeling in prayer. The detective trained his gun on the figure as he slowly walked forward, Blair behind him. He listened but could still only define the one heartbeat. They were alone with Heather.

Jim and Blair walked slowly through the blackened debris of the church's roof that littered the floor, crunching on the soot and ash underfoot. Jim's gun didn't stray from the woman's back as they closed the gap between them. Heather didn't move from her silent prayer.

Suddenly a movement to their left alerted Jim too late. As they passed a pew, a figure all in black rose up from its dark recesses. Heather fired a tranquiliser dart at the Sentinel. It hit him squarely and he sank to the floor immediately paralysed by the dart's contents. Too late Jim realised the figure by the altar was a decoy.

"Jim! Jim!" Blair called as he moved to his Sentinel's side, all thoughts of Heather forgotten.

Heather quickly seized the moment to retrieve Jim's gun and her vengeant figure loomed over the detective and grad student.

"I didn't expect to see you here," she said every word spoken with hatred and loathing at the grad student. "You seem to pop up where you're least expected. He died because of you! I was left alone. I raised Leo single handedly and then you come along and flunk him out of university."

"That was his doing," Blair responded. "He turned up in class in body but not in mind, he didn't care about the work. He was lazy and..."

"He was my brother!!!" she spat angrily but then composed herself again. "He only became a drug dealer because you made him leave school."

Heather reached inside her black coat and removed an object. She threw it at Blair. It landed on the blackened floor by his feet.

"Pick it up," she commanded.

Blair could see it was a syringe.

"No," Blair replied defiantly.

"I said pick it up or I swear I'll shoot you and then inject your friend with it myself."

Jim could hear everything that was going on between his Guide and the insane woman, but he couldn't move. He was trying everything he could to counteract the effects of the paralysing agent that was currently coursing round his veins, immobilising him and leaving them at Heather's mercy.

"Inject your friend with it!" Heather goaded.

"No!!" Blair shouted. "I won't."

"I saw you buy drugs at the university. You like it don't you? How it makes you feel."

"I didn't use it," Blair replied.

"Liar. No one buys heroin and not use it. I made you a junkie and now you can't live without the stuff, can you. Can you!!"

Blair took off his jacket and then raised the sleeve of his shirt.

"Look," he challenged "no fresh needle marks."

"Junkies can inject themselves in all sorts of places, even their eyes. Places you can't easy see."

"Do I look like I'm using?" Blair asked and he looked concernedly down at this friend.

"I hate you for what you did to Leo!"

"He brought it on himself. He thought he could cruise through university without putting in any effort. You raised him; you must have known what he was like."

Heather looked away for a moment trying to deny the truth of Blair's words, but it was true, Leo had always been lazy and shiftless. Her green eyes looked back at the grad student and she realised she didn't hate him after all. Something broke inside of her at that moment. What was left if there wasn't the hate? But she realised that it was her brother that she hated for being weak. How had her love for her brother turned to hate? Her brother was everything to her. Leo was the sun during the day. The shooting stars at night. He was her life.

She hated her brother for being weak. At the end Leo had not only sold the filthy drugs, he'd also started using them as well. He was often high and out of his head. Heather had hated seeing him like that. She had tried everything she could to get him to stop using it. But he had been too weak to give it up.

Heather could see that Blair was strong, the antithesis of her brother. After everything she'd done to him and here he was still functioning and more concerned for his friend than for himself. Heather absently fingered the healing gash in her palm where she had made the blood oath. Leo was still dead and he had to be avenged. Only then could the pain that enslaved her be finally set free.

Heather's demeanour hardened again.

"You inject the syringe into your arm. You'll save your friend's life then. I'll let him live. You take the overdose for him."

"What!"

"You heard me Blair Sandburg. You take the overdose for him."

Blair looked at the syringe lying at his feet and then at his paralysed friend. He was running out of options.

"You promise you'll let Jim go?"

"I swear. I'll swear on Leo's memory if you want me to," Heather added.

Jim was screaming in his mind for Blair not to do it. Damn this paralysing drug, it was so powerful he couldn't counteract its effects.

Blair picked up the syringe and rolled his shirtsleeve back. The previous needle marks were still too evident on his arm. An unmistakeable reminder as to what he had unwillingly become. What he had fought and won against.

Blair looked up at Heather and then down at the syringe and he drew it slowly towards his arm.

NO, Chief!! Jim screamed in his mind, still unable to move or speak

Blair felt the prick of the needle in his arm, as the point pierced his skin. His thumb moved to the plunger.

I'm sorry Jim, he said to himself as he looked at his friend and not the syringe as he started to put pressure on the end.

Bang!!

A shot rang out.

There was a look of shock on Heather's face as she saw a patch of red on the front of her black clothing. Where had that come from?

Blair froze, the syringe still poised, the heroin still in the barrel.

Heather sank to the ground, dead before she came to a rest there.

A few moments later Simon Banks rushed forward glad that he had followed his instincts in following Jim and Blair. He checked that Heather was dead first and then moved to his men. Blair was still poised with the syringe in shock and unable to comprehend what was happening. His thoughts hadn't caught up with the events.

"Easy there Sandburg," the black captain said gently, as he saw what Blair was about to do. He had heard Heather coerce him into taking the drug. "Let me take that."

Simon gently took the syringe from Blair's slightly shaking hand.

"Is it over?" the grad student asked, almost afraid to know the answer.

"It's over, Blair," the captain replied gently squeezing his shoulder. The captain's touch seemed to release the grad student from his stupor.

The grad student looked down at his supine friend.

"Simon, Jim was hit by some sort of tranquiliser dart, it paralysed him," Blair said retrieving his jacket and covering his friend with it.

"An ambulance is on its way," the captain replied as he finished making the 911 call.

Blair knelt down next to his friend, concerned for him.

"You okay Jim? Sorry you can't answer can you? Silly question," Blair added as he adjusted his jacket and tucked it under the detective's chin. "Heather's dead. Simon shot her. It's over. An ambulance is on the way. You're going to be just fine. I'm fine. Simon's fine. We're all fine. Heather's dead. Oh I've said that already," he said laughing anxiously.

Simon's eyebrows rose as he listened to Blair babbling on, knowing that the shock and the relief were making his mouth work overtime. He looked down at Jim whose expressive blue eyes were boring into him.

"Um, Sandburg," the captain said.

"Yeah Simon?"

"Jim says you're talking too much."

"Jim can't speak at the moment," the anthropologist replied confused as he looked down at his immobile friend. But Jim's pale blue eyes were expressive and Blair had to smile.

"I am aren't I? It's just the relief, you know."

Blair glanced round at Heather lying supine and the adrenaline left him. He sat back on the ground with an 'Oh' suddenly feeling light headed and weary.

"Deep breaths Blair," the captain said.

"I'm okay. I'm okay," Blair replied like a mantra.

Blair looked round at Heather again, as if he had to keep looking at her dead body to make sure she was actually dead and it really was all over.

"Don't look," Simon said. "Just concentrate on Jim."

Blair nodded and he looked back at Jim. The Sentinel managed to give Simon a frustrated look as the sound of the ambulance's siren could be heard. Simon quietly left the two men to meet and direct the paramedics.

"We're going to be okay buddy," Blair said out loud, more, he realised, to reassure himself than his friend.

CAMP SITE IN CASCADE NATIONAL FOREST

Blair lay on his back on his sleeping bag. He lay beside the campfire that Jim was toasted marshmallows over. They had set up camp next to Lake Crane and had enjoyed a day of fishing. They hadn't caught many fish but the day had been restful and soothing. Now they had enjoyed a nice evening meal, were currently relaxing and enjoying the solitude of the lake shore.

It had been a week since Heather's death at Simon's hand. Jim had soon recovered from the effects of the tranquiliser and had been released from hospital the next day. Joel had already been released with a clean bill of health. Though Blair had been worried how the tranquiliser would affect his friend's delicate Sentinel disposition, but Jim had had no lasting effects from it. The camping, come fishing weekend, had been Jim's idea. They both needed to get away from Cascade for a few days, Blair he reasoned more than he did. Blair had been to hell and back the past few months and there was nothing either of them liked doing more than fishing.

"You okay partner?" the Sentinel asked of his unusually quiet Guide.

"Yeah, just thinking," the anthropologist replied sitting up and poking a long stick into the fire, causing a few glowing embers to float up lazily into the air.

"About Heather?"

Blair nodded but he had also been thinking of all the other victims who had died along the course of Heather's revenge. Cesaro Covas, the gentle teacher and Doctor Yniguez from Calaveras Prison and sweet Annabelle.

"I don't understand Jim how a human being could hate someone so much that they wanted to totally destroy them. But she didn't just take her hatred out on me, she killed Annabelle. She would never have hurt anyone and Heather robbed her of her life. She nearly succeeded in killing you and Joel. If Simon hadn't shot her how many more of my friends would she have killed? All of them?"

"I think Heather lost her humanity somewhere along the way. She let her hate consume her until there was nothing left but that hate. She was insane, Chief."

Jim gave him a stick with a toasted marshmallow at the end. Blair studied the marshmallow for a moment and then looked over at his friend, as his mind warred with what had happened.

"I always try to see the good in people you know. There are always more good people out there than bad ones. Everyone has a dark side man, but most people only show their good side and try to help others. But I wonder how much we really know people. Could anyone become as bitter and consumed with hatred like Heather did? I wonder if someone killed my Mom could I blame someone so vehemently as Heather did me, that I'd go to the extreme to get revenge."

"You'd let justice prevail Chief."

"Are you sure?" Blair asked.

"As I can be. I've come to know you pretty well these past three years. You know that revenge is a short term solution. A criminal needs to pay for their crimes day after day. What are you trying to achieve here Chief?"

"I don't know," Blair replied truthfully. "Get it right in my head I guess."

Blair chewed on the marshmallow for a few moments as he thought about Jim's words. Then he looked up and noticed the sunset. The western sky was ablaze with a vibrant red. All the clouds were glowing with a fire of their own. The grad student sighed as his eyes moved from the resplendence of nature at her most beautiful, then back to the fire as Jim toasted the next batch of marshmallows.

"What happened to Annabelle was tragic and wrong and I know you're hurting over it, but she's gone. You've got to grieve and move on."

"I guess I'm feeling a bit guilty."

"Why?"

"Because I'm alive and I'm glad that I am. I came so close to losing so much. My freedom, my health, man there is no way I ever want to get hooked on heroin again. And my friends were nearly taken from me."

"I'm still here," the Sentinel replied as he looked at his friend.

Blair smiled and was grateful for that.

"Damn!" Jim cursed as the marshmallows caught fire. "Extra crispy," Jim admonished as he handed the more black than white sweet to his friend.

Blair laughed as he accepted the incinerated marshmallow. His gaze turned back to the western sky as he enjoyed the sunset. Red sky at night shepherd's delight, the grad student thought as he relaxed and tried to move on with his life once more.

Then the night began to claim the sky.

The stars winked into appearance one by one and soon the sky was full of stars. It was a beautiful night with hardly a cloud in the sky. A wolf howled in the distance as the two men enjoyed the quiet and solitude of the lake.

Jim watched his friend surreptitiously as he munched on a marshmallow and watched the night sky. He could see that the weekend had had a positive effect on his friend, he was already more relaxed and not as anxious. It was going to take time but he knew he was going to be alright. Heather hadn't won, her reign of terror was at an end and Blair could go on with his life again.

"Thanks Jim, this was a great idea," Blair said suddenly.

"You're welcome buddy."

Jim lay back and enjoyed the night sky. There was hardly a space between the stars. You never saw this many back in Cascade under all those street lights. Jim let out a breath as he realised he could finally relax for the first time in a very long time.

His Guide was safe and the Sentinel was grateful for that.