TITLE: THREE LITTLE WORDS 4: LOVE IS A BURNING THING

AUTHOR: PEJA

FANDOM: The Sentinel

PAIRING: Blair/OMC, Implied Blair/Jim Jim/Rafe

RATING: Overall...NC-17/bondage This seg....R

SUMMARY: Jealousy and anger rage.

FEEDBACK: it got ya this one, didn't it. Want more, point me a direction

DISCLAIMER: Not mine, but I could do real interesting things to them if they'd reconsider.

ARCHIVE: PEJA's Ravings. Others ask, I'm as easy as Blair in hooker mode.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is an AU. Jim fathered Alex' child in Peru and is now raising the babe, sans Sandburg.

"That's it," Jim snarled, throwing down the towel he'd been drying the breakfast dishes on. "He's pouted long enough." 

"Hold up there, tiger." Rafe grabbed Jim's arm, halting his head-long stomp toward the bedroom where Blair had retreated. "What are you going to do, Jim?" he demanded, steering the heated man toward the sofa.

Jim glared at the closed door. "Tell him how it is."

"And how is it?" Rafe asked softly. "Exactly?"

Jim's mouth opened then closed and opened again, floundering for words.

"That's what I thought." Rafe grinned sadly. "He's not going to be easy with this arrangement."

"He has no choice."

"Don't think so?"

Jim flicked a glance toward the closed door. "He loves me, Rafe. He'll come around."

Rafe shook his head, chuckling. "This is Sandburg we're talking about, Ellison. Mister no commitment. Mister love 'em and leave 'em and love 'em again just cause he can. He doesn't have to do anything we want him to. He doesn't think like we do."

Jim gave a rueful laugh. "The Sandburg Zone." He shook his head. "I never thought I'd get trapped in that particular land of insanity."

"Never thought you'd be sleeping with me, either, I'll lay you odds."

Jim rubbed his knuckles over Rafe's hollowed jaw. "How could I resist, all things considered." Jim leaned close, claiming Rafe's soft lips in a gentle kiss. "You're too pretty to be a man, Rafe."

"So is Sandburg, Ellison."

"You do want to be part of us when I get Blair talked around, don't you?" Jim asked, his fingers teasing Rafe's sensitive ear lobe. "You aren't just doing this because you think I want it."

"I know you want it, Ellison," Rafe murmured, leaning his head against the playful fingers. "But I won't stand between you and the kid. I told you that when we began. I'm telling you now."

"I don't want to let you go."

Rafe chuckled. "Then you better hope Blair can be worked around to the idea of being a threesome."

"All things considered, I'd think he'd be glad we want him in our lives." Jim grumbled. "Not many men who would take a prostitute into their ho...."

Rafe rapped his fingers against Jim's lips. "Don't say something you might want to take back. The walls aren't all that thick, Ellison. I don't think that kid can take too much more hurt."

"He can take as well as he gives, Rafe." Jim lifted his face, his own pain etched deeply for Rafe to read. "Trust me on this one."

"God knows you're hurting, Jim. We wouldn't be at this point if I hadn't seen that pain and recognized your needs for what they were, would we?" Rafe slipped away from Jim, getting to his feet. "But I don't like what you're doing here."

"What I'm doing? Rafe, I wasn't the one who vanished without a word. I wasn't the one who hide for six months."

"No, you weren't. But you are the one punishing him, aren't you? For leaving you like he did. Is that what I'm all about? More punishment?"

"Don't be stupid."

"I don't think I am," Rafe flicked a glance toward the bedroom door. "Jim, be careful how you play this out. I don't think you want to lose him again."

Stubborn Ellison pride played over Jim's grim features. "I won't."

Rafe shook his head. "I wouldn't be so sure about that."

Jim bolted off the sofa, finger waggling. "Now you listen to me...."

A soft sputtering gurgle from the travel bed brought him up cold and he glanced back at the bed where his son lie.

"Take care of your son, Ellison," Rafe said heading toward the closed bedroom. "I'll see what damage control I can pull off with his namesake."

Jim watched Rafe go through the door and turned to lift his infant child into empty arms.

****************

Shutting the door, Rafe found himself alone in the dark room. "Blair?" he called softly, scanning the room while his eyes adjusted.

And found Blair huddled in the darkest corner, his head slumped listlessly against the wall.

"Blair?" Rafe said again.

The remote figure didn't stir.

Rafe moved closer, going down on his haunches beside the other man. "Blair?" He touched the stiff arm nearest him, felt the quiver that passed through Blair at the touch. "Blair, talk to me."

Blair's distant eyes closed, blocking him out.

"I'm not here to take him away from you, Blair. I wouldn't do that to either one of you. Couldn't even if I wanted to."

Another shudder convulsed through the silent man. "You think I care?"

Smiling, Rafe nodded. "Oh, yeah. You care. You care so much your eating yourself up inside over this mess." His fingers curled around Blair's arm tugging gently. "Come on, let's get you up out of there."

Blair wrenched away, huddling in on himself. "Leave me alone."

Rafe shook his head reaching out for him again. "Not an option, Sandburg."

Blair cowered deeper into the blanket. "I can't do this."

Rafe hesitated, seeing the anguish in blue eyes that tried to deny the truth. "Sure ya can, Sandburg. You want to be with him."

A wild toss of curls. "No....."

Rafe smiled, smoothing his hands over the younger man's trembling arms in an attempt to calm him. "You're not fooling anyone, Sandburg."

"No. no. no." Blair rasped, his breath heaving in and out of his chest. "I want to go home."

"Well that a good thing. We'll head back to the loft soon, I'm sure."

"No. Not the loft. Home." Blair whispered.

"Where is home, Blair?" Rafe asked. "We've checked. You have no permanent address. Just that escort service. Is that home? A brothel?"

"Nick...."

"You live with Nick?"

"Not anymore." Blair buried his head against his knees. "Just let me go. I can't do this. I can't.....He's going to tear out my soul and feed it to the fires of hell."

"Blair, please...Jim loves you."

Blair's head swung around. Distressed eyes found Rafe's gaze for a moment then dipped away to the left. "It doesn't matter."

Rafe tugged his chin back up and waited for Blair to lift his lashes. "Who are you lying too, Sandburg. Me? Or you?"

"He made me call Nick. Did you know that?"

"No, I didn't." He smiled. "I'm sure the guy was very happy to hear from you. I know Jim was a mess when you vanished. I don't think he'd put anyone else through that uncertainty if he could avoid it."

That bitter laugh that was becoming so familiar sounded. "He made me tell Nick I was breaking off with him. That the wedding was history."

"That must have been hard for you to do, huh?"

"I never wanted to hurt Nick, Rafe. I didn't want to make that call. I wish..." His head slumped, chin touching his chest. "Nick didn't deserve that."

"I'm...sorry, Blair." Rafe murmured. "But you have to know it had to be done. Jim won't share you with him."

Blair's hard gaze darted to Rafe. "Don't I have any choice in any of this? Tell me, Rafe. When did I give up the right to choose who I wanted to be with? When did I hand over my free will to him....and to you?"

"Ah, Jesus, Blair. You know Jim's just doing what he thinks is best for you."

"Is that what he's doing? What's best for me?" A convulsive shudder racked his lean body. "I don't think so. I think he's doing what's best for him and to hell with what anyone else wants. Why else would he be doing everything he can to destroy me?"

"He isn't."

"No, you don't think so?" A bitter snort broke from Blair's pale lips. "Sure feels like it."

Rafe brushed the curls back from Blair's hollowed cheeks. "You're overwrought, Blair. Let me put you to bed. Get you warm."

Blair allowed himself to be drawn out of his crouch. Let Rafe steer him nearer the bed. And then froze, resisting. "No, please....Don't chain me again. I...."

"Chain you?" Rafe took a closer look at the smaller man. "Whose been chaining you, Blair? Some guy you went out with? That Nick character?"

Blair hurled a contemptuous glare. "You leave Nick alone. You know damn well who. You were probably in on the whole thing, huh, weren't ya? Drug the little bastard. Cuff him to the bed with a blindfold over his eyes and wait for him to come around. Put the fear of Ellison in him. That was the plan right? Now he's got you back here what ya gonna do with me? Hold me here until after the wedding and then toss me out on my ass?"

"You know better than that, Sandburg."

"Do I?"

"Blair," Rafe reached for Blair's arm, but the younger man dodged, his eyes growing more and more wide. "Come on, kid. You need to rest. I just want to help...."

Blair's sarcastic laugh cut him off. "That's how you cops operate, isn't it? One of ya come on all strong arm and nasty, then bring in the buddy buddy guy and sucker the perp? Sure it is. I've witnessed enough interrogations to recognize when I'm being played."

"Blair, swear to God, I don't know what you're talking..."

The bedroom door swung open hard, crashing against the wall as it rotated under its own momentum. Jim stepped through the entrance, his brows drawn in a dark scowl. "This crap stops now, Sandburg."

Rafe caught Jim's angry stance over his shoulder. "Take it easy, Ellison. Blair and I were just talking."

"I heard." Jim growled. "If we had neighbors within twenty miles, they would have heard." Jim took a step toward Blair. "I've coddled you long enough."

Blair's fingers clutched spastically on the blanket he was still wrapped in. "You don't scare me, cop."

Jim laughed low in his throat. "Keep telling yourself that, Sandburg." He advanced a step toward the wild eyed man.

Blair retreated a step. "What's it gonna be, Ellison? You gonna cuff me again. Beat me senseless."

"Don't guess you have any sense left to be beaten out of you." Another step forward.

And another back. "Yeah?" Blair tossed his head. "I got enough sense to stay out of your grasp."

Jim chuckled, taking another long stride. "You're in my grasp now, Darwin."

Blair managed a half step into the wall. His wild eyed glance darted around the room.

"Jim...."

Jim smiled a shark's smile and closed the distance. He leaned down close in Blair's face. "Gotcha," he sneered and hard fingers curled with bruising strength around Blair's forearms.

The breath hissed past Blair's lips and he winced under the crushing grasp. "Come on, Jim." He slanted a seductive false smile. "You know this ain't your style."

Jim jerked Blair forward, bouncing him off his chest. "Stop murdering the language, Chief. It doesn't impress me one bit."

Fear and anger battled in Blair's gaze as he lifted his chin. "Okay, okay, I get the message. Kewl it with the caveman tactics."

"I don't think so."

Blair shuddered as Jim's lips teased the sensitive spot behind his ear. His fingers clutched at the bigger man's shirt for support when Jim suckled his lobe, his teeth tugging gently on the diamond stud.

"You like that, Darwin?" Jim's fingers tangled in Blair's curls, tipping his head to the side.

Blair whimpered, pressing closer to the big man.

Jim's teeth grazed the pale skin, he licked a moment contentedly, teasing the sensitized area with his tongue then sucked. Hard.

"Jim....." Blair's desire was a scream in that one whispered word.

Jim continued to suckle until he tasted blood. He swabbed the love bite with his tongue, smiling as Blair slithered over him like a cat eager for stroking. He kissed the sweet purpling mark then peppered kisses to claim Blair's volatile lips.

Breaking the kiss, Jim brushed his knuckles across Blair's cheek. "I told you we could make this work, sweet."

Frustration swirled in Blair's gaze. "I want you, Ellison. I can't deny that, can I? Not when I'm oozing sex all over you."

Jim kissed him, a whisper of lips over lips. "You love me."

"Yeah." Blair's soft laugh was filled with sadness. "And I hate you."

"You think you hate me, maybe."

Blair's glance darted away. "I can't make love with you, Ellison. I....Sex, I can do, but not with you. You just don't have it in you to do what has to be done to make it happen."

"You don’t think so?" Jim dug in his pocket and drew out a gold key. "Head's up, Rafe." He flipped the key toward Rafe who caught it deftly. "Open up the toy box."

Grinning, Rafe whirled and had the closet opened in seconds.

Jim backed Blair across the room, holding him so he couldn't see what was in the cabinet.

"Blair," Jim said softly. "I know you think you can only be fully aroused if someone beats the shit out of you. I know you don't think you can be loved like you deserve to be again."

"I don't think it," Blair grumbled. "I know it."

Jim shook his head. "I love you, Blair. And I'm gonna show you how to get what you need. Safely."

He turned Blair to face the closet. "Choose your toy."

END CHAPTER 4