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Notes: This story is based around the song "Angel of no mercy" as
sung by Collin Raye.


Angel of no mercy
by Stacy L.A. Stronach, June 1997

Blair Sandburg sighed as he made his breakfast. It was their
first year anniversary and his lover, Jim Ellison, had had to go
out of town. Simon Banks, Jim's Captain on the Cascade PD, had
needed Jim to go with him to Seattle for a police conference, and
it was going on during their anniversary. Blair hadn't been able
to go because of class commitments, so he got to celebrate all
alone. Life just wasn't fair. Jim said they'd celebrate when he
got home, but it just wasn't going to be the same. Sighing again,
Blair left for the university.

He'd been sitting there marking papers for a couple of hours when
he heard the knock on the door. He opened it, and there stood a
delivery person with a box of flowers for him. Giving the guy a
tip, he took the box, and opened it to find a dozen long stemmed,
red roses, along with a letter, addressed to him. Blair smiled,
Jim hadn't forgotten! Not that he really thought his lover would,
but Blair had learned never to set your hopes too high--they
usually got dashed.

He locked his office door, so he wouldn't be disturbed, and sat
down to open and read the letter.


My dearest love,

Happy first anniversary (I hope we have a thousand more!). Blair,
I'm sorry I couldn't be there, but I will be thinking of you, of
what we'd be doing if I were home. I love you, you've done so
much for me, changed my life so much for the better.

Gods, I'm no better at using the written word to express myself
than I am the spoken word, so I'm going to let someone else's
words speak for me. This is a country song, and when I heard it
at a friend's place a little while ago, it said everything I've
tried to convey to you. So, I copied the words here, (cus I
could never put it so beautifully) for you, so you know how I
feel, what you mean to me, why I can't think of living my life
without you.


Heaven knows where I'd be now
If you had not found me
On a road that takes a man
To places he's not meant to be

I wasn't ready for the touch
That turned my life around
Now I'm helpless in your hands
It's love that ties me down

Angel of no mercy
You take my breath away
And it feels so good, it hurts me
To think you might fly away
Can't you see that I've surrendered
You stole this old heart blind
You're an angel of no mercy
But I don't mind

Ain't it strange how love can take
A heart that's hard as steel
Hold it tightly in the fire
And teach that cold heart how to feel

Touch me now I'm still not sure
You're truly flesh and bone
Heaven knows that you can't be
From the world I live on

Angel of no mercy
You take my breath away
And it feels so good it hurts me
To think you might fly away
Can't you see that I've surrendered
You stole this old heart blind
You're an angel of no mercy
But I don't mind



I hope you never fly away on me, Angel. I love you. See you soon.

With all my heart
Jim


Blair took off his glasses and wiped the tears from his eyes, he
loved Jim so much, it hurt. *And the man says he's not romantic,
wait til I show him how grateful I am for this little letter. Oh
Jamie, I wish you were here. I love you so much!* Blair thought.

Meanwhile, in Seattle...

Jim opened the door to his hotel room when he heard Simon knock.
"Hey, Simon, what's up?"

"I come bearing gifts, Jim," Simon replied, holding out a small
box with a letter attached, and a card. "Happy Anniversary, Jim.
I hope you and Blair have many, many more. The box is from Blair,
he asked me to bring it with me, and give it to you today. The
card has my gift in it, open it first."

"Aye, aye, Captain!" Jim said as he took the box and card from
Simon's hand. He opened the card and found himself staring at a
plane ticket back to Cascade, first class, too. Looking at the
ticket, then back at Simon, he asked, "What's this for, Simon?"

"Your anniversary. People shouldn't be away from their loved ones
on important days like this. Plus, since the schedule here was
rearranged, and the remaining seminars are ones that you've
either been to, or don't need--I figured I'd send you home. No
arguments, Ellison, I want you to head home, and that's an
order!" Simon commanded.

The smile on Jim's face was worth every penny Simon had spent on
the ticket, he was glad he'd done it, for being with Blair had
made Jim happier than Simon could ever remember. Simon was caught
off guard when Jim grabbed him and hugged him. "That's enough of
that, Detective Ellison," Simon said gruffly, but he returned the
hug.

"Thank you so much Simon, this'll make it even better!"

"Make what even better?"

"Oh, I guess I can tell you. I'm going to ask Blair to marry me!
I was going to do it when we got back to Cascade, but to be able
to ask him on our anniversary...! I hope he says yes."

"He'd be stupid if he didn't Jim, you two are very lucky to have
found one another, and if the kid can't see that, then he's
blind. You better get a move on, you've only got a couple hours
til the flight leaves."

The two men said their goodbyes, and Jim packed his belongings,
headed for the airport and arrived an hour early. He decided to
open Blair's present to him while he was waiting. Taking the
letter and setting it aside, he opened the box, and smiled when
he saw the panther figurine. Taking it out of the box, he looked
at it closely, it was made out of black marble, and the eyes were
of brilliant blue sapphire, inset into the small statue. The cat
was standing, as if guarding something, it's head raised, a
gentle look on it's face. Putting the figurine away, Jim opened
the letter,


My Darling Beloved,

Happy Anniversary! I hope you like the panther, a friend of mine
made it especially for me, so it will be one of a kind, like you
are, my love.

Jamie (I love that you let me call you that!), my life has
changed so much since I first met you, all for the best. You have
shown me that some people keep promises, that some people don't
leave you, that there are even people that I can trust. I trust
you with my life, my heart and my soul. I love you.

You have cherished me like no one else ever has, making me feel
like I actually matter, that my life is important, and not just
to me. You look after me and look out for me, and when you hold
me in those arms of yours, against your body, it's like nothing
in this world could ever hurt me again, you are my strength. And
my weakness. I love you.

Sometimes, I get scared, scared that you'll tire of me and leave.
But then I remember you said you'd love me forever, and you've
never lied to me about us, about our relationship. Sometimes, I
get scared that I won't be able to handle forever, but then I
look at you, or I think of you, and of our love, and I know, I'd
never willingly give that up, nor would I be able to give you up.
I love you.

Jamie, I've never known love like I have with you. I love you
more than life itself. And I will love you through this lifetime,
and the next (and however many we live). Know that even though we
may not be together on our anniversary, that I will be thinking
of you, wishing you were here, wishing that we were holding each
other. I love you.

In case you haven't guessed, I love you, with all that I am, and
all that I ever will be.

forever yours,
Blair



Jim folded the letter and put it away, then wiped the tears from
his eyes. *How does he do it? He always knows what to say, to get
right to my heart. I can't wait to get home to him* Jim thought,
and then he heard the call for his flight.


The loft, a little while later...

Jim looked at his watch, three o'clock, good, Blair had classes
til five, so he could get things ready. Jim cooked one of
Blair's favourite pasta dinners, set the table, with candles.
Once everything there was ready to go, he took a shower and put
on a dark blue shirt with his jeans. It was 4:30, so he went down
and finished getting dinner ready, brought out the champagne,
then sat down to listen for Blair's car. When he heard the
Corvair pull in, he stretched his senses and listened for the
sound of his Guide, and hearing it, tracked him as he approached
the front door.

As Blair climbed the stairs, he thought about how shitty it was
to have to be by himself today, oh, well, he'd just sit by
himself, and think naughty thoughts about Jim. Not as much fun as
having Jim there with him, but...

Blair opened the door, but he didn't notice the smell of dinner
or the candles, what he did notice, however, were the arms that
drew him into an embrace, the lips that sought his for a
bruising, passionate kiss. Blair's arms automatically wound
around Jim's neck, his mouth opening for Jim's tongue, his own
tongue seeking Jim's mouth. They stayed like this until the need
for oxygen made them pull apart. Blair's arms slipped down to
Jim's waist as he pressed his head against Jim's chest. "What are
you doing here? I thought you had the conference in Seattle?"
Blair asked, not really caring, just glad to have his man back in
his arms.

"It was Simon's anniversary present to us. He ordered me to come
home, wish all bosses were that great."

"I'd have to agree with that. Remind me to thank him profusely
the next time I see him."

Taking Blair's hand, Jim led him to the table, and served him
dinner. Not much was said during the meal, but they watched each
other, intensely. When the meal was over, Jim told Blair to stay
where he was, and cleared the table.

Jim walked over to where Blair was and knelt in front of him,
reaching a hand up to stroke his lover's face. Blair didn't say
anything, just leant his face into Jim's hand, staring at his
Sentinel. Jim then took Blair's hands in his, looking into
Blair's deep blue eyes, "Blair, I love you, more than I've ever
loved anyone else. Will you marry me, be my husband?"

Blair's eyes filled with tears, Jim wanted to marry him, oh gods!
"Yes, yes, yes! Oh, I love you so much Jamie!" Blair said as he
wrapped his arms around Jim's neck, pulling him close, and
holding him tightly.

"Blair, love, um, I need to breathe," Jim whispered.

Blair relaxed his grip, then he started kissing Jim, seeking out
that mouth he knew so well, and that would be his for the rest of
their lives. As Blair's kisses started moving to his ear, and
down his neck, and he started to undo Jim's shirt, Jim whispered,
"Let's go upstairs, Angel," as he picked the younger man up,
carrying him upstairs.

When Jim set Blair down on his feet, he picked up where he'd left
off, kissing Jim's neck, sucking on the flesh, marking him as
his. Blair removed Jim's clothing, then his own, and pushed Jim
onto the bed, climbing on top of him. Jim moaned as Blair kissed
his way down to his nipple, flicking his tongue across it, then
sucked it into his mouth, grazing it with his teeth as he
released it, while his hand went to the other nipple, gently
tweaking it. Blair switched sides, continuing his attentions,
making Jim writhe underneath him. Blair kissed and licked his
way down Jim's abdomen, and, avoiding Jim's erection, he kissed
the older man's inner thigh, he nipped the skin there, causing
muted moans from Jim. As Blair switched his mouth to Jim's other
thigh, he lifted his hips off the bed, trying to get Blair to pay
attention to his erection. Moving up, Blair gently sucked on
Jim's testicles, making the man plead, "Please, Blair, please..."

Jim thought he was going to die, Blair was teasing him so. Jim
was almost overwhelmed, his lover's touch was like fire, his
fingers, his mouth, that lovely, wet mouth. He could smell Blair,
his scent, his arousal and it was making Jim even more aroused.
When he felt Blair's tongue flick the head of his cock, Jim's
hips jerked off the bed, and then that beautiful mouth enveloped
his entire length. Jim moaned, and tried to thrust into Blair's
mouth, but the younger man held Jim's hips down.

Blair sucked Jim's cock a couple of times, then released it,
moving up to kiss his lover, and reached over to the nightstand
for the lubricant. Jim pulled his knees up to his chest, exposing
himself to his lover, as Blair squeezed lube onto his fingers,
pushing them into Jim's anus, stretching the other man. When Jim
moaned and started thrusting against his fingers, he withdrew
them, rubbing the lube over his own erect cock, then thrust all
the way into Jim. "Oh, yes, Angel, oh, yes, do it."

Blair stroked Jim's cock in time to his thrusts into his lover,
and with all the stimulation Jim came quickly and hard, his cum
spurting over Blair's and his stomach's. The feeling of Jim
contracting around his penis made Blair come, screaming, and he
fell on top of the other man, panting. Jim pulled Blair into an
embrace, and they lay there holding each other.


After they had caught their breath, and as they held each other,
Blair asked, "So, we gonna go to Hawaii or what?"

Jim smiled, "No, I thought maybe we'd have a handfasting, it
seems like it would be far more beautiful than a "legal"
ceremony. And I don't need a piece of paper from the government
telling me that you're my husband. The only advantage, as I see
it, would be on the legal side of things, and hopefully, we won't
have to worry about that for a long, long time."

"What do you know about handfastings, love?" Blair asked, looking
up at Jim in mild surprise.

"Oh, I talked to that Pagan High Priestess friend of yours,
Brigit? And she explained it to me. It just seems more
appropriate for us, at least for right now. But if you really
want to go the traditional route and go to Hawaii, we can arrange
it."

"Me? Go the "traditional" route?" Blair snorted. "No, Jamie, I
think a handfasting would be lovely. And I think you're right, it
is the right way to go. Oh, I'm so glad we found each other, I
can't imagine my life without you in it," Blair said.

"I know, Angel, I know. I love you, forever."

"And I love you, forever."