"Ohhhh man," Jim Ellison moaned as he slowly pulled himself out from under Carausco's goon. He'd felt the two shots leave his gun as he and the larger man fought for control of the weapon, and was relieved when he realized neither slug had entered his body.

He listened briefly to confirm that the corpse was indeed a corpse, then pulled himself painfully to his feet. A glance toward the mansion showed that backup had arrived, and that they were tending to Drennan. Thus reassured, Jim turned and headed into the greenhouse.

Soft sniffling caught his ears as he stepped though the 'exit' he and the henchman had smashed through. He looked down to find Maya curled in a fetal ball on the ground where she had fallen. The sentinel gave her a quick once over with his senses as he slowly knelt, intending to comfort her. Then, another figure lying a few feet away snatched all his attention from the young woman.

"BLAIR!"

He was completely still, laying bound and gagged in a heap of smashed pots and dirt. The rag in his mouth was stained from blood seeping from a split lip. Jim winced at the cut and the new bruises appearing on his friend's cheek. Someone had struck him, and hard. With difficulty, Ellison pushed down his anger, his heart beginning to pound as he scanned for life signs. A strong heartbeat met his ears, and he sighed in relief as he knelt beside the motionless form.

"Chief," Jim called softly, gently shaking his young friend by the shoulder. He turned Blair onto his side to get at the bound wrists, trapped painfully under the observer's body. As he worked, he heard the cherished heartbeat begin to race, and the anthropologist began to struggle. A small sound of distress came through the gag.

"Nono," Jim said, "It's OK, just take it easy." He quickly leaned over and rolled Blair toward him until the kid could see his face. The moment the young man realized who was touching him, his body relaxed and he closed his eyes. Ellison could feel the tremors running through his partner's body. He saw tears form beneath Blair's eyelashes, and swallowed hard as the young man sniffled. "I'm here now, you're safe," he whispered.

Turning Blair on his side again, Jim returned to the task of unbinding his friend's wrists. The rough rope had cut into the soft skin, red welts beginning to rise as circulation was restored. The moment Sandburg's hands were free, he rolled and sat up, reaching for Jim. The cop had his arms out already and gathered his partner to him in one smooth motion. The young man buried himself in the detective's embrace, one arm locked around his neck, the other around his broad back, pressing his face into Jim's shoulder.

Sandburg trembled silently, clutching at the material of his partner's shirt as if worried Jim might be snatched away from him. The sentinel just held his friend. There was no need for words yet. They could re-establish their bond without the use of speech. The cop rested his hand on the nape of Blair's neck and began to rub as another pronounced shiver ran through the young man's body. In return, he felt the slender hands on his back twist more tightly into the folds of his shirt.

When the tremors began to calm, Ellison leaned down and pressed his lips close to Blair's ear. "That's it," he murmured soothingly, running his hand over the back of Blair's head, "Easy..., easy now." He encountered the knot of the gag and slipped it free, pulling the piece of cloth away and tossing it aside with disgust.

Blair pulled back a little, and Jim watched as the anxious blue eyes darted nervously around, searching. He was no doubt wondering what had become of the man who had assaulted him. Ellison tightened his arms around the observer once more, drawing him tight against his chest as he breathed reassurances into Sandburg's hair. "Shh, it's OK....You're safe....He won't be hurting you anymore, I promise." This brought on a tighter squeeze from his loft mate, and another tremble.

The anthropologist found his voice, at last. "I knew....you'd be here!" he gasped into Jim's shirt, nestling closer still, resting his head under his Blessed Protector's chin. "Knew you would....come for me."

The infinite trust in those simple, sincere words touched Ellison's heart, and squeezed his eyes shut against a sudden odd burning sensation. Wetness clouded his eyes slightly, and he blinked, trying to clear his vision. Probably just a reaction to the chemical fertilizers in the greenhouse. There was an odd tightness in his throat, and it took him a moment before he could reply in a somewhat steady voice, "Anytime, kid."

Blair shook his head, gently, reaching one hand up to lay across Jim's lips. Ellison obeyed the request to be quiet, and hugged his partner tight, willing the bad memories to fade away. After long moments of sitting and holding each other, Sandburg gradually pulled away. He ran a hand through his ragged curls, grimacing at the soil that had gotten ground in. Suddenly, his eyes widened in horror. "Maya!" he tried to sit up, and was restrained by his partner. "Jim....Maya! That gorilla was gonna...,"

"Shhh, it's all right, Blair. Maya's fine." Ellison shifted so that Blair could see the object of his concern, currently being treated by a female uniform. "She's fine Chief, just a little shaken up." He heard Blair's heart beat begin to slow noticeably as he saw that the girl was safe. The young man took a deep breath, and let it out in a relieved sigh. When he looked up at his partner again, he was smiling.

"All right, man," he began, "How is it that you always manage to show up just in the nick of time?" He accepted Jim's assistance as the larger man helped him to his feet. Then he held his arms out as he was brushed off, turned, and brushed off some more.

"It's in my contract," Jim replied with a grin and he swiped the dirt from Blair's jeans-clad backside. "All part of the job description for a Modern American Sentinel and Blessed Protector." He held up a finger as if reading an invisible line of text in the air between them. "All rescues shall be carried out in a timely fashion, but not so timely as to ruin the suspense." Blair was chuckling as he finished, and he smiled down at the dirt-smudged face.

"That's great, man," Blair muttered. He looked around then, and saw that Maya had been helped to her feet. He took a deep breath, held it a moment, then sighed. "Man, this is not going to be pleasant." He looked up at Jim, who gazed down at him questioningly. "But I think I owe her an explanation." Patting his Blessed Protector on the arm, Blair carefully made his way among the ruined pots and planters to stand before Maya.

Jim watched from where he stood, listening almost unconsciously to his Guide's voice. He heard him begin to softly explain to Maya, and heard the girl's heart beat begin to race. She stared at Blair with an expression of growing disbelief, her eyes cold. Blair continued, trying to explain why he'd done what he had, begging Maya to understand that it was his job.

Ellison was about to move in to stand up for his partner when there was a flurry of motion. Maya's hand flew out and connected with Blair's cheek. The painful slap made everyone in the vicinity start and look over at the young woman, who was now shouting at Blair in frenzied Spanish.

Jim winced, and hurried over to where Blair was clutching his reddened cheek. The young man was swaying slightly, and the sentinel reached out to place a steadying hand on his back. At the same time he fixed Maya with a gaze of ice. She ignored him, continuing to bury Blair in what had to be the longest consecutive stream of Spanish profanity known to man.

"Ijo de PUTA!!!"

With that last, venomous parting shot, Maya turned and stormed away. She pushed through the cluster of officers that had gathered to watch the show and strode toward the house. Blair watched her go, still rubbing his cheek, tears welling in his eyes. He was barely aware of Jim's arm slipping around his shoulders, offering comfort.

"Chief," Jim said gently, tugging at the anthropologist's shoulder. "C'mon buddy.... Let's go home." With only a moment's resistance, Blair turned and allowed Jim to guide him toward the truck, leaving the greenhouse and Maya behind.

Jim closed the door and leaned heavily against it, listening to Drennan's footsteps as she made her way down to the street. Things had become awkward after Maya's brief visit; the officer had left only a few short minutes after the girl's departure. As Ellison started toward the kitchen to clean up dinner, he trained his ears on the small bedroom.

Soft sniffling and an accelerated heart beat were clearly audible to sentinel senses. The detective started toward the room, but stopped short as a small hand emerged briefly to draw the curtains closed. Taking the action as a sign to stay away, the big man sighed sadly and returned to his task.

It was hours later when Blair finally emerged from his room. Jim tried not to look too interested, not wanting to spook the young man as he shuffled listlessly over to the balcony doors. Sandburg had changed into his sleeping clothes; old sweats and a ratty-looking gray T-shirt that Jim recognized as once belonging to him.

With the sight of the shirt, Ellison began to ponder over his relationship with the 'neo-hippie witchdoctor punk' who had burst into his life. Had it really only been four months ago? Looking on the young man as he gazed out at the city, Jim was struck by just how close they had grown in that short time. How important Blair had become to him.

He saw Sandburg lift one hand to lay against the glass, the curl-covered head bowing, shoulders slumping. He started to get up from his position on the couch, then paused, wondering if his intervention would be welcomed or not. Blair tended to pull away when he was upset. Maybe he wanted to be left alone. Of course, it that was the case, the young student would have stayed in his room. Making a decision, Ellison stood and slowly moved toward his Guide.

The young man did not move as Jim approached. The hand resting on the glass did not shift as the sentinel slowly reached out, paused, then laid his hand on one bony shoulder. He could see Blair's face reflected in the glass, and saw the blue eyes close as he squeezed gently. He just let this hand rest there for a moment, rubbing little circles on the shoulder with his thumb, waiting for a signal that his comfort was appreciated.

Blair took a deep breath, chest hitching on the way in. As he released it, Jim placed his other hand on the opposite shoulder and tugged the observer back from the doors. The young man began to shake, not struggling when the older man slowly turned him around and pulled him into his arms. The detective hugged his smaller partner close, trapping Blair's arms between their bodies and preventing escape.

Escape seemed to be the farthest thing from Sandburg's mind. He melted against Jim, burying his face in the big man's shirtfront. His hands slipped around Jim's sides to reach up, palms laying flat against the broad back. When Ellison began to softly stroke the back of his head, the young man could no longer fight down his tears. He pressed his face against his partner's chest and cried, sobbing as if his heart were breaking.

It was, Jim realized. And he, the sentinel, was to blame. He was the one who had urged Sandburg to become friendly with Maya. He'd been witness to his young friend falling in love for what was probably the first time. The kid wasn't a trained undercover man like himself. He'd never been taught how to keep his heart closed off, how to keep work and love separated. He had fallen totally and helplessly in love with Maya Carausco, only to have his world shattered when the truth about her father became known.

The tears soaking his shirt brought Jim out of his regretful reverie, and he lowered his head to touch a kiss against the curls under his chin. "Ohh Blair....Shhh." His hands continued to caress his partner's scalp and back, holding and comforting against hurts for which he was responsible. The detective felt his own eyes misting over as he held his Guide.

"Oh god Chief, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I pushed you into this mess." He closed his eyes and turned his face into Blair's curls. "So sorry, kid." The smaller man's arms tightened convulsively around him, perhaps in forgiveness, or maybe a signal for him to shut up. The sentinel fell silent and just cradled his friend, rocking slightly as he gazed out at the dark city they protected.

Together.

THE END