----------------------------------
Haunting
by Lianne Burwell
April 1998 
(minor revisions October 1998)
----------------------------------

Detective Jim Ellison pressed up against the wall, examining the paper 
mill ahead of him, his partner, Blair Sandburg right behind him. They had 
been following a group of rather inept robbers who had tried to hold up 
an armored car.

"All right, concentrate. The trail led you here. Can you hear where they 
are?" Blair was using his guide voice, low and soothing.

Jim tilted his head, considering the sounds he heard. "No. Between the 
heartbeats of the workers and the sounds of the machinery, I can't find 
anyone suspicious. They aren't talking. At least, not about the crime."

Blair frowned. "Okay, let me think a moment. Sound is out. How about 
smell? They have guns."

"But they didn't fire them. No cordite to 'look' for."

"So... look for the smell of gun oil. It's pretty distinctive, isn't it?"

"If they use something *intended* for gun oil. These idiots are stupid 
enough to have used cooking oil, for all I know."

"C'mon, big guy. *Try*."

Jim frowned, then dialed up his sense of smell. He kept his hearing 
focused on his guide as he considered all the scents in the air, not 
wanting to zone out. Just a sec... "There. Second floor, at the back."

"Okay, now link up your hearing. Use the smell to guide your hearing, 
like you've done with your eyesight."

Jim was uncertain about it working. After all, Hearing something you 
could *see* was one thing. Hearing something you could smell? But he 
trusted his guide.

//

"Shut up, bitch. Just be quiet and we'll leave you alive when we get out 
of here."

"When does Jack get here?"

"The truck arrives in five minutes. They load up the rolls of paper, then 
head for the printer. We just get on with it. The cops won't be here in 
time."//

Jim activated his headset. "Rafe, I've found them at the papermill, but 
they have a hostage. They seem to be planning on getting out on one of 
the delivery trucks."

"Gotcha, Jim. We're almost there."

"Understood." Jim drew his gun, and started easing his way towards the 
loading dock. "Blair, stay here. It'll be safer"

"You have *got* to be joking, Jim."

Jim flushed. "Sorry, Chief. I forgot."

"Don't do it again," he said, but with a smile. Blair followed him from 
cover to cover until they were in a good location to take on the crooks 
as they left the main part of the building. Jim could already hear cops 
arriving, without sirens, and moving into position.

* * * * *

As far as busts went, it was pretty much cut and dried. Thanks to Jim, 
the cops were waiting when the gang tried to make it onto one of the 
delivery vans. The hostage was rescued. The bad guys were taken into 
custody without a single shot being fired. All that was left was the 
paperwork. 

Jim would have appreciated his partner's help, but Sandburg couldn't be 
there. But, thanks to long practice - and improved typing skills - Jim 
quickly finished his report on the raid. As he put on his coat to head 
home, Brown called out.

"Hey, Ellison! We're going drinking tonight, celebrate the bust. You 
wanna come along?"

Jim smiled and waved. "No thanks, Henri. Not tonight. Got to clean the 
loft if it's going to host tomorrow night's poker game. See you in the 
morning."

"Right."

* * * * *

"Hey, Jim. All finished the paperwork?"

"A little bit left for tomorrow, Chief. Could have used your typing 
skills, though."

"Sorry, no could do. So, what's for dinner tonight?" Jim held up the bag 
in his hand. "WonderBurger? You've got to be joking. Your cholesterol 
levels are going to go through the *roof*."

"C'mon, Chief. You *know* I eat healthy most of the time. I think I can 
indulge once in a while, especially after I face down bullets."

Blair smiled. "I suppose so. But no-fat tomorrow."

"Nag." It was said fondly, with a smile.

"Just looking out for your health."

* * * * *

They watched TV after dinner, both sitting on the couch, but not 
touching. It was an action movie, but it was so cartoonish that they both 
laughed themselves silly. Jim stood up as the credits rolled.

"It's been a long day. How 'bout bed?"

"Sounds good to me," Blair replied. "You go ahead, lover. I'll join you 
in a few minutes."

Jim headed up the stairs to get ready for bed. His clothing was removed, 
and placed in the laundry basket for the next day. A quick trip to the 
washroom to wash his face and brush his teeth, then he climbed into bed. 
He pulled the covers up over his shoulders and quickly fell asleep.

* * * * *

He was walking through the jungles of Peru. Lush greenery filled the air 
with an earthy scent that pleased his nose. The sounds of night wildlife 
soothed him. Ahead of him, he could smell the smoke, hear the crackle and 
see the glow of a campfire.

He entered the clearing. In the center was a fire, and his partner 
lounged, naked, on the bedroll next to it. He smiled.

"Your favorite spot, is it?"

"What can I say? It's the first place we ever made love. We were starting 
to drift apart, you know, when the call came about Simon. To be honest, I 
came along with you because I wanted to find out whether or not we could 
continue to work together. I wasn't expecting to fall in love, but I'm 
glad it happened. We've been together for years now, and I wouldn't change 
it for the world. Being together has been worth everything."

"Everything?" Jim asked, one tear escaping, despite his best efforts.

"Everything," Blair said firmly, getting to his feet. He came over to 
stand in front of Jim, and reached up to cup his chin. "I told you that I 
would stay with you for as long as you wanted and needed me. That hasn't 
changed, has it?"

"I'll always need you. Always want you." Jim swept Blair up into a 
desperate embrace. The younger man reached brush his lips against Jim's.

"Then I'll always be here. Always be with you."

Their lips met, hungrily, and Jim devoured his partner. Slowly, he sank 
to his knees in front of the younger man. Lips blazing a trail along the 
neck and chest, detouring to tease nipples and navel, before finally 
reaching their goal. Blair cried out as the lips wrapped around his 
erection.

"Oh yes! So gooooood." His eyes closed and his head fell back as Jim 
nipped and nuzzled at the proud piece of flesh.

"You are so beautiful, Chief. *This* is beautiful. I can't wait to have 
it inside of me."

"Hmmmm. Sounds like an invitation I can't turn down." Blair pushed him 
back towards the bedroll, then encouraged him to lie back. "Just stay 
there and let me do the work."

Blair kissed, nibbled and tweaked at just about every bit of flesh he 
could reach, except for the one, very obvious, spot. By the time he 
reached for Jim's cock, the big man was a near-boneless mass, begging for 
release. Realizing that Jim was not going to be able to hold out for much 
longer, Blair quickly dipped his head to swallow the weeping erection. 
Jim cried out, arching up off the ground, suddenly rigid, as Blair drank 
down his semen.

Blair moved back up to share a kiss. Jim stretched and purred under him.

"Want you, Chief. Want you so bad."

"How do you want me?"

"Want you inside of me. Long and slow and deep."

"All you had to do was ask."

Blair reached out and snagged the bottle of oil from next to the bedroll. 
He spooned up behind Jim and oiled them both thoroughly. Then he pressed 
in, taking his time. Once he was fully embedded, he withdrew until only 
the head of his cock was still inside Jim's ass, then pressed in again, 
this time a little faster.

Jim moaned, and felt a new erection forming as Blair picked up the tempo. 
"So good, Blair. Nothing feels better than this. No one can make me feel 
this good."

"Because you're mine. My partner. My Sentinel. My lover."

"Yours. Always yours. Nothing will ever seperate us."

"Nothing."

By this point, Blair was almost pounding into Jim with long, even 
strokes, matched by strong pulls on Jim's cock. Jim gave his control to 
Blair, trusting his Guide to keep him safe. Lights flashed behind his 
eyelids.

Then, finally, his body began to tense, and he stiffened with a scream. 
As his cock spurted and his ass spasmed around the bulk inside it, he 
felt the distinctive sensation of his beloved's fluids filling him up.

They clung together, panting and exhausted. Jim rolled onto his back, 
already missing the feeling of being filled, and pulled Blair on top of 
him. He combed his hands through the sweat-matted curls.

"I love you, Blair. I can never say that enough."

"I love you too, man. Always and forever."

"I just wish I could touch you when I'm awake."

"I know, Jim. I know."

They drifted to sleep, lulled by the crackle of the fire and the chirping 
of the insects. Morning would come, all too soon.

* * * * *

Jim groaned and stretched, joints popping after spending most of the day 
seated. He'd been stuck in court all day, and his partner's jokes and 
constant conversation had been the only thing keeping him sane.

"I'm heading home to set up for poker, folks. See you all around seven."

A chorus of "See ya, Jim" s answered him as he headed out the door.

Rafe watched him as he left, then turned to his partner. "You know, I 
really would have expected Jim to fall apart, last year, after Blair 
died. I mean, to loose your roommate, partner and lover all in one fell 
swoop... I'm just he didn't kill the sonofabitch. Internal Affairs was 
pissed enough at having a civilian killed while at a police bust. If Jim 
*had* killed him, they would have ripped him, and Simon, to shreds."

Brown snorted. "Yeah. He was a wreck for the first week or so, then he 
recovered. Simon even called the shrinks in to figure out *why* he had 
bounced back so fast, but they passed him. Maybe what happened in Peru 
taught him how to handle it. Don't know it's healthy, though. Him being 
alone since then, I mean. You know, the new guy in records is cute, if 
you're into guys, and Serena says he's gay. Maybe we should play 
matchmaker?"

"I dunno. It might not be a good idea, But, you know... sometimes I could 
almost swear I hear Hairboy around here." Rage shook his head. "Anyway, 
I'll see you at the game."

"Seven o'clock. Hopefully, this time Jim will let us win at least a 
*couple* of hands. You'd almost think he was psychic or something."

* * * * *

Jim took a last look around. Beer, munchies, cards. Everything was set 
up. A quick glance at the clock told him that the early folks should be 
arriving any minute.

"Chief, do me a favor?"

"Sure, Jim. What?"

"Tonight, don't tell me everyone's hands. They're getting a little 
suspicious."

"Sure."

"No more stacking the deck, either." Blair just snickered. "And no more 
standing behind Simon and making silly faces, please. I can only pull the 
'choking on a chip' excuse so often."

Blair grinned, looking like an imp. "Ah, c'mon Jim. It's sooo much fun." 
Jim scowled back. "Okay, okay. I've got a few things to do, so I'll step 
out during the game. How's that?"

"Just as long as you come back."

Blair smiled gently. "I promised, didn't I? So, how does making love on a 
beach in Hawaii sound for tonight."

"Sounds great. Maybe even do a little bit of surfing?"

"Sure. After all, it's in *your* dreams. See ya later."

THE END