Notes: Towards the beginning of DannyD's excellent story, "On the Run," there is a scene where Jim buys flowers for somebody, and Blair wishes they were for him. I re-read "On the Run" the other day, and that scene stuck with me. Here is the result:

Spoilers: Brief quotes from various episodes and a somewhat lengthy quote from opening scene of "Crossroads," all taken from Becky's Sentinel Episodes Transcripts Page. You also need to be familiar with the plotline of "Love Kills" in order to make sense of this story. I'm assuming here that the events of "Crossroads" took place right after "Love Kills."

No animals or spirit guides were harmed in the filming of this episode.

~Day. Cemetery. Camera pans through treetop, then down to show Blair kneeling in front of a fresh grave, no headstone, plain wooden cross for a marker. He has the box of flowers Jim sent Lila in "Love Kills," which he lays on top of the grave.~

Blair: This is yours. I... I don't know why I kept it. Like Jim's ever going to get me flowers. (chuckles ruefully) I thought you were one of those women who take advantage of Jim to get what they want. Guess I was wrong, huh? (chuckles again) "Greater love hath no man..." or woman, in this case. You... you probably don't want me thanking you for saving Jim. If you had a choice, you would rather live with him than die for him, wouldn't you? I would. Well... I'm grateful to you, anyway. You probably hardly noticed I existed, huh? And now I have my life with Jim... and you are here. (throws head back, blinking back tears) I... I envy you, Lila. Jim gave you flowers. God, how selfish is that? I'm alive. I shouldn't be complaining. I... (wipes away tears, then stares at grave for a long time before getting up) Bye, Lila.

~Camera follows Blair walking away from the grave down the gravelway, swinging up to the treetops as Blair gets further away. It then swings down to show Jim standing at the grave, a bouquet of flowers in hand, staring at the box of flowers Blair has left. Jim's gaze zooms in to the note taped onto the box, which reads: "Sorry I left so suddenly. Can we have dinner? Jim. 555-4167"~

~Cut to Police Station, Forensic Department. Day. Samantha working at a lab station. Jim comes in.~

Samantha: Hello, Jim.

Jim: Hey.

Samantha: And what can I do for you today, Detective?

Jim: Well, this isn't business, but the other day, when Blair stayed over with you, did he...

Samantha: When?

Jim: Uh, you know, that night you went out, I think, to some film festival?

Samantha: Oh, the Fellini.

Jim: That's right.

Samantha: He didn't stay with me that night.

Jim: He didn't?

Samantha: No. In fact, we broke up.

Jim: What?

Samantha: He didn't tell you?

Jim: No, not at all. Uh... wha-what happened?

Samantha: There's somebody else.

Jim: Blair? He... he told you this?

Samantha: Not in so many words, but yeah. (pause) He was distracted, I asked him if he was thinking of somebody else, he didn't answer, I left.

Jim: And exactly when did this happen?

Samantha: After the movie. We were having coffee at a cafe near campus.

Jim: So, you left him at the cafe. You didn't see where he went afterwards.

Samantha: That's right. (pause) That all you wanted to know? I do have work to do.

Jim: Uh, yeah. Thanks Sam. (leaves)

~Camera follows Jim into hallway. He pauses, thinking.~

[Following flashbacks are interspersed with shots of Jim making his way through the PD.]

~Flashback / Jim's imagination.~
Night. Blair's office. Blair is sitting on a bed roll stretched out on the floor. He opens a cooler next to the bed roll. The box of flowers is in it, on top of some ice. Blair picks it up and stares at it.

~Flashback from "Love Kills"~
Jim: You ever have one of those times where with a woman, you know, if things had turned out differently she could've been the one?
Blair: Not really, but it sounds special.

~Flashback from "Remembrance"~
Blair: Jim, I'm a friend. All right? Friends help each other. That's what we do.

~Flashback from "Warriors"~
Blair: You can do it. Now a sentinel will always be a sentinel as long as he chooses to. So make that choice, damn it.

~Flashback from "Survival"~
Blair: Are you going to think less of me if I actually take you up on that offer?
Jim: I'll probably think of you as some self-serving, spineless goober.
Blair: I can live with that.

~Flashback from "Flight"~
Blair: Uh... it's about friendship. I just didn't get it before.

~Flashback from "The Debt"~
Jim: If you think this little courtship ritual here is going to change my mind about throwing your butt out of here...
Blair: Well, I'm all yours, little buddy.

~Flashback from "Siege"~
Blair: This wasn't like a typical day for you, was it? (Jim laughs and walks off.) Well, is it? Come on!

~Flashback from "Switchman"~
Blair: I am not cutting my hair.

~Unidentified scene of Blair running across screen, shouting "Jim!"~

~Unidentified shot of Blair smiling up at Jim.~

(Voiceovers with echoes: She could've been the one, she could be the one, he could be the one...)

~Cut back to Jim walking through the hallways of the PD. He walks through the Major Crimes bullpen to Simon's office, where Blair is working on Simon's computer, Simon watching.~

[Following lines are from the opening scene of "Crossroads."]

Jim: Lounging around in the adult chat room, boys?

Simon: Ah... Blair's cleaning out my living room.

(Jim nods.)

Simon: What do you need?

Jim: Well, Captain, if it's not a problem, I was wondering if I could take a week off.

(Blair turns around to look at Jim. Simon waves a hand in a distracted fashion.)

Simon: No, no, no problem. Go ahead.

(Jim turns to leave. Then Simon realizes what Jim said and turns as well.)

Simon: Whoa, whoa, whoa. Jim... a week?

Jim: Yes, sir.

Blair: What's wrong?

Jim: Nothing's wrong. Why does something have to be wrong?

Simon: Well, I personally can't remember a time you asked for a day off, much less a week.

Jim: That's just it, Captain. I haven't had any time off. I'm a little burnt. I need time to smell the flowers, the fresh air... cool out a little bit.

Simon: Easy, easy, you're preaching to the choir, Reverend. Take as much time as you need.

Jim: Thank you. (turns to leave again)

Simon: You got a spot in mind?

(Jim looks at Simon, then Blair, then answers slowly.)

Jim: Yeah... a little place that I go to in the summer. It's up by the Canadian border, you know... sweet little spot tucked away in the middle of nowhere... trout are just waiting to be bugged. (chuckles)

Blair: (getting excited) Dig it, dig it, yeah. I'll get to try out my new tackle and didn't you make a new fly with big orange eyes and hair on the legs?

Jim: It sounds like some of your dates, Chief.

Simon: No, no, no. (shows his fly) This here... this baby will have those fish lining up for the pan like a magnet.

Jim: Sir, this is not a group activity.

Blair: What are you talking about? You wanna be alone?

Jim: That's the plan, yeah.

Simon: All right... What's going on?

Jim: Come on, why don't we take this in the interrogation room?

Blair: Hey, hey, no reason to get all snippy...

(Computer makes a noise behind him. He turns back to look at the screen.)

Blair: Uh-oh.

Simon: (going over to look at computer) Uh-oh? What's uh-oh?

Blair: Uh, it's crashing, sir. I don't suppose that you have a boot disk, do you?

Simon: Sandburg, I'm going to boot your disk from here to Seattle. Get up!

(Blair gets up, and Simon sits down. Blair picks up the phone.)

Jim: Uh, I'll be back Wednesday. (leaves)

[The episode "Crossroads" takes place as televised.]

~The "crossroad" with the train track and the road. The truck with the money in it has just blown up after colliding with the train. Jim and Blair have gotten off the train to watch.~

Blair: Oh, my god.

(Jim looks grimly at the burning truck.)

Blair: What about the guys in it?

(Jim shakes head. Blair turns away.)

Jim: Come on, Chief. Let's get back, huh?

(Jim climbs back into the train. Blair follows.)

~Cut to Jim and Blair walking through the woods. Jim spots something.~

Jim: Hey, Chief. Got your swiss army knife on you?

(Blair hands Jim the knife, and Jim walks off to the side. Blair watches, puzzled. Jim comes back, holding a tree branch in hand. Close-up shows it has flower buds.)

Jim: (handing branch to Blair) Stick it into water, and it'll bloom. (turns around and starts walking away; Blair's heartbeat sounds loudly in the background)

Blair: (stares at branch, then realizes he's being left behind) Uh, Jim? Yo, Jim! Wait up! (follows Jim off screen)

~Cut to loft. Day. The branch is in a vase in the middle of the dining table. Half of the buds have now bloomed. Blair sitting at the table, staring at it.~

(Sound of key in the front door. Jim comes in as Blair looks up.)

Jim: Hey.

Blair: Jim? You back already?

Jim: Like having the place to yourself, huh? (puts bag down near the door, takes off jacket and hangs it)

Blair: No! It's... I'm glad you're back. It's just, I thought you were staying up there for the whole week.

Jim: (shrugs) Well... (sees branch) So, it's blooming. Like it?

Blair: (swallows hard) Uh, yeah. It's nice.

Jim: (takes something wrapped in newspaper from top of his bag) I got you more.

(Blair takes the package and unwraps it to find an assortment of wildflowers. He stares at the flowers, then glances up at Jim, then stares at the flowers again.)

Blair: Why?

Jim: (walks into kitchen and gets beer from the fridge) Want one?

(Blair shakes head. Jim takes his beer and sits down on couch. Blair puts flowers down on kitchen counter.)

Jim: You left the flowers I gave Lila at her grave. Samantha told me you didn't spend that night with her. I wondered why. (pause) You like getting flowers from me, Chief? I'll get them for you, every day, for the rest of my life.

Blair: (looks at Jim's bag) You... you didn't take your fishing gear.

(Jim shakes his head)

Blair: You went to Clayton Falls to get me flowers?

Jim: I've got more in the truck.

(Blair stares at Jim)

Jim: Well, flowers are kind of expensive, you know. Helps if you have a bunch growing in the back yard. Or the balcony, as the case may be.

(Blair slides down onto the kitchen floor. Jim gets up and goes over to hunch down besides him.)

Jim: Chief?

Blair: How, how'd you know I wanted flowers?

Jim: I'm a detective, remember? Sometimes I can connect the dots and come up with the correct picture.

(Jim reaches out with a finger to wipe a tear from Blair's face. Blair breaks down. Jim gathers him into his arms.)

Jim: I'm sorry, Blair.

Blair: For what?

Jim: I should have realized earlier.

Blair: Did you have to take off?

Jim: I needed time to think. And I did want to get you the flowers.

Blair: There's a flower shop around the corner.

Jim: And what would I get you? Roses? Lilies? Orchids? (shakes head) That's not you, Blair Sandburg. You, you can't... you aren't... (sighs) You don't grow in greenhouses, Chief.

(Blair laughs. Jim kisses the tip of Blair's nose. Blair giggles. Jim smiles. They kiss. Long, passionate, kiss.)

~Loft. Next morning. Wildflowers from yesterday are now in the vase along with the blooming branch. Camera pans up the stairs to show Jim and Blair in bed together.~

(Blair wakes up with a start, and looks around himself. Jim wakes up.)

Jim: Hey.

Blair: Uh...

Jim: Come here.

(Jim pulls Blair to him and starts nuzzling his throat.)

Blair: Uh, shouldn't we... get up?

Jim: I still have a few days off from the week Simon gave me.

Blair: Well, I don't know about you, but I'm hungry.

Jim: Oh, come on, Chief, where's the romance?

Blair: (getting up) I'll let you know once my stomach is full.

Jim: (mock-sorrowfully) I got you flowers for this?

Blair: Come on, I'll make breakfast.

Jim: I know what I want for breakfast. (tries to grab Blair)

Blair: (avoids Jim and races down the stairs) Well, you'll have to catch it first.

(Jim shakes his head, then resignedly gets up and walks downstairs.)

~Cut to the two of them eating breakfast at the table, joking around in their usual friendly manner. Focus on the vase of flowers, then fade out.~