Blair hadn't counted on the cold. He wracked his brain trying to figure out why he couldn't recall this cold that reached through his skin and wrapped around his bones with tendrils made of steel. It occurred to him as he looked out at the downpour du jour that he had never visited Rainier University in the winter. Since he did know that snow was not that common save for the mountains, somehow, he assumed that the weather was the same as San Francisco.

The professor smiled at the thought of San Francisco. He had not thought that life with Jim Ellison could get better than the two weeks they spent in that remote cabin on Mount Cascade after their first case was solved. Not only had they caught a particularly heinous serial murderer, they had found in each other Sentinel and Guide and soul mates.

Blair had spent his days at Sheriff Ellison's side as they waited for the county to send a replacement. They toured the scenic mountains while Blair used the exercises that he could recall from his Sentinel studies to test Jim's abilities and begin to control them. Most of the time, they were alone. The bond that Blair had felt immediately with Jim deepened and grew stronger during that time. The new Guide didn't think he would ever forget the wonderfully rustic Thanksgiving they spent on the mountain. He had never worked harder on a single meal in his life, but it all tasted wonderful. He didn't think he would forget the sex under the kitchen table any time soon either. The splinter wounds had only recently healed.

Things were so good between them that Blair had worried that all their closeness would evaporate once they left the mountains. But Jim Ellison continued to surprise him. The quiet cop had loved San Francisco. He tolerated the tiny apartment in the raucous building with wry amusement. He had endless patience with Blair's neighbors and colleagues none of whom could appreciate the concept of privacy. Since he was suffering from culture shock in returning to such craziness after weeks of peace and quiet, Blair couldn't help wondering how Jim was tolerating everything with such apparent ease. He asked one night as they lay plastered all over each other in the narrow bed.

Blair felt Jim shrug against him in the dark. "I'm with you, Chief. In a few weeks, I'll be home with you. What's a few weeks compare to a lifetime?"

Blair recalled melting into the warm embrace and drifting into a sound and contented sleep. He had been warm then. Christmas was cool and clear in San Francisco. For Sentinel and Guide it was very romantic. They managed to spend enough time alone to exchange small gifts and make full use of mistletoe. It was turtleneck weather. Jim looked really good in turtlenecks. They were especially handy for hiding the love bites.

The temperate December and a New Year's Eve that was warm enough to make out on the roof and watch fireworks over the Golden Gate Bridge had lulled Blair. He was in no way prepared for a bleak January in Cascade, Washington.

He had been warm then, Blair reflected ruefully. The rain didn't seem to be letting up.

Even with the umbrella, he knew he would be soaked before reaching his car. His mood wasn't helped by being separated from Jim all day. They hadn't even spoken on the phone. Jim had been reinstated as a Detective. There were briefings with Simon Banks and even with the Chief. He had to be updated on dozens of issues. And then there was the status of their partnership to be discussed. Blair was fairly confident that there would be no problem, but he did not like not hearing from his lover. It was the first real separation since their arrival in Cascade. Blair decided that it sucked. It made him uneasy. And on top of everything else, he was cold.

The energy conserving administration at Rainier kept the offices heated to a theoretical 68 degrees. That would have been fine if it weren't so damp. It was. Thus, despite all of his layers, Blair was almost shivering. It was so uncomfortable that he was actually considering staying in the office where he knew he wouldn't get any colder. Jim had no idea that he was having such difficulty adjusting to the weather. He had always managed to get a hot shower at the loft while Jim was putting away groceries or starting a fire. His Sentinel was into energy conservation as well. However, the fireplace helped a lot.

Then there was the tall, muscular heat source that he slept with. Blair was quite toasty at home, but he really dreaded getting across the parking lot.

Blair sighed and put on his coat. Just thinking of Jim was enough to make the rain bearable. Then, his cell phone rang.

"Dr. Sandburg."

"Hey, Chief," Jim said softly.

Blair found himself smiling. "Hey, Jim."

"Simon sprung me early. I'm already home and the chili is simmering," he said. Blair could tell that he was smiling as well.

"Oh, man I need to hear that."

"It's pretty rough out there, Chief," Jim said. "Want me to pick you up?"

"No, no. Keep simmering. I'll be home soon," Blair replied.

"I'm waiting," Jim replied in a tone that made Blair's stomach turn over.

Blair bundled up, collected his backpack and umbrella then headed out. He made it to the car quickly enough. But a frigid wind had joined the storm causing the rain to travel sideways like icy projectiles. The umbrella was useless, and he discovered there was a hole in one of his shoes. His left foot was soaking in ice water by the time he made it inside the frosty car.

The gods did smile upon him a little. The car turned over right away. He didn't wait for the interior to warm. He just wanted to get home to Jim. The roads weren't great and a little hydroplaning forced Blair to take it slow. By the time he reached the loft, Blair was chilled through to the bone and quite sure that he would never be warm again.

Jim was waiting for him in the doorway as Blair exited the elevator. The Sentinel had a bath sheet and his own terry cloth robe.

"I could hear your teeth chattering from outside, Chief," he said. There was concern in his soft voice. "Let's get you warmed up."

Jim gently removed the heavy, sodden back pack and set it inside the door on top of the newspapers that were bundled for recycling. Then he knelt before Blair and started unlacing his boots.

"I'll get your boots off. You start unbuttoning," Jim said.

Blair nodded gratefully. The heat radiating from the apartment made him feel better immediately. It felt warm and smelled wonderful. There was the spiciness of the chili and the sweetness of the cornbread. Jim had put something in the fire that made it smell like Christmas.

"Your poor feet, Chief," Jim murmured as he pulled the soggy socks off each foot. He dried them briefly to get the majority of the moisture off. He then reached up and unfastened his jeans.

It took some effort and some body english, but they managed to get the wet clothes off.

Jim quickly dried off his Guide's clammy skin then wrapped him in the huge robe. Blair made his way to the sofa in front of the fire while Jim took the clothes directly to the laundry room. His skin was still chilled, but Blair no longer felt like he would die from the cold.

After a few moments, a bowl of chili was deposited in Blair's hands. "Eat up, Chief," Jim said. He returned moments later with a tray containing cornbread, a bowl of sour cream and some shredded onions.

Blair ate a spoonful of chili then sighed. "You are so good to me."

Jim shrugged. "Brilliance should be rewarded."

"Hmmmmmm?"

"Your grant proposal was approved by the Justice Department," Jim said. "The Chief was ecstatic, but then, he's excited about any kind of assistance that the department doesn't have to pay for."

"Typical bureaucrat," Blair smiled.

"He was especially excited about getting a 'bone man,'" Jim said with a bemused frown.

Blair rolled his eyes. "That figures."

"What's a bone man, Blair?"

"A bone man or bone person is a nickname for a forensic anthropologist. We look at bones to help authorities identify victims and figure out cause of death and what happened to the body after death," Blair replied. "There's a big unit at the Smithsonian that works with the FBI. There are more and more of us actively working with police all over the country."

"That explains the Forensics lab wanting to meet with you tomorrow," Jim said. "You're to share space with them on a case by case basis."

"But most of the time I'm with you, right?" Blair asked between bites of cornbread.

Jim nodded. "That was made clear as part of the grant. You're desk is next to mine in Major Crimes."

"Good. I've got good space at Rainier in exchange for some very light seminar duties. I'll keep my library there," Blair said. "When do I meet all of the troops?"

"Tomorrow. There are lots of meetings planned, I'm afraid," Jim said ruefully. "I'd have rather you met the Major Crimes gang at the local watering hole."

Blair shrugged. "It'll be okay. I'll leave the love beads here."

Jim reached over to gently wipe some sauce from the corner of Blair's mouth. "You be you, Chief. You've earned your chops where it counts. They'll figure that out soon enough."

"Thanks man," Blair said with a sigh. "It'll be good to be with you during the day."

"Miss me?" Jim smiled.

"Oh, yeah... and I felt... I don't know... strange without you," Blair replied.

Jim gazed at him for a long moment. Relief was clear in his pale blue eyes. "I thought it was me. I thought I was freaking out again. It would be okay when I came home to you or when you were with me... but other times..."

Blair placed his empty bowl on the table then reached for Jim only to be pulled onto his lover's lap. He sighed into the embrace and leaned back onto Jim's warm torso.

"You have to tell me when you feel this way, Jim," Blair said gently. "I know that I'm feeling my way around with your abilities, but I may have some answer that will ease your mind a little."

"What do you think this is?" Jim asked as he nuzzled against Blair's hair.

"I think we've imprinted upon each other though it's a surprise to me that I'm genetically predisposed to be a Guide," Blair said with a chuckle. "We're probably supposed to be together when there is any chance of danger which would be the case when you're at work."

"So we don't have to be attached at the hip," Jim replied drily. "I can go to the gym or the grocery store."

Blair laughed softly. "Maybe. Remember, part of my proposal was based on the fact that Cascade has an inordinately high crime rate per capita."

"True enough. It's a good thing we like being close."

"Oh, yeah."

Jim hugged Blair close. "And you have to tell me when you're cold, Chief. I know how uncomfortable you've been."

Blair shrugged. "It didn't seem important. And how can you make the cold go away?"

Jim brushed his lips against Blair's temple. "Oh, I can make the cold go away for you. Just trust me..."

Blair found himself turned and pressed against the back of the sofa. The first kiss curled his toes and warmed his face. By the third one, he was a lot warmer. But Jim wasn't finished with him. He gently sniffed behind Blair's ear as he pulled the tie to the robe loose.

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Inevitable 3: Expanding Paradigms