Chapter Eleven
Simon made his way back to camp, feeling a little more relaxed than he had when he started his hike that morning. He'd needed a bit of normality and that wasn't going to happen around Jim and Sandburg. They had become very good friends to him, and he didn't take that lightly, but they were way out in the Sentinel zone right now and that was never a place he felt comfortable visiting.
He'd never signed on for all the mystical bullshit that seemed to follow Jim around, but he'd be a fool to deny the results. Ellison, with Sandburg doggedly at his heels, had become a powerhouse in the department. His case closure rate was ridiculously high, which made the whole Major Crimes division look good. Moreover, that strange partnership had saved his life on more than one occasion; he knew he had no right to complain when things got weird.
Simon's stomach was growling by the time he heard the waterfall. He made his way along the path, mindful of prickly caterpillars and oversized snakes that might happen to cross his path. When his new home away from home finally came into view he saw that his head detective and his brilliant consultant were engaged in the very domestic chore of folding laundry. Jim sat a little bit behind Sandburg, and they each had a pile of clothes that were being set to rights.
"Honey, I'm home," Simon called out. He propped his fishing spear against the side of the little smokehouse and wandered over to where the guys sat quietly working.
"You hungry, Simon?" Sandburg asked.
"Yeah. What's on the menu?"
He was passed the makeshift platter, which had sliced fruit on one side and strips of smoked pork on the other. He was handed a full bottle of water as well, and he reminded himself that Jim would've heard him coming well before he'd gotten there. Sometimes it was nice to have your needs anticipated.
"How goes the exploration, Livingston?" Sandburg asked with a grin, folding one of Jim's shirts.
"Beautiful view, no matter where you stand. I didn't see any ships or planes though." Lord knows he kept looking. He didn't want to be on this very lovely tropical rock forever; he had a job to get back to and a son he was missing.
"They'll come," Sandburg said confidently. "In the meantime, just think of this as an exclusive spa getaway, man."
Jim snorted at that comment. He handed a pair of shorts to Sandburg, who took them without looking around. They were doing that creepy telepathy thing again, and Simon wondered what it would be like to be so in tune with another person. He also noted that the tension between the two men seemed to have lessened, and that was definitely a good thing; they were sharing close quarters and Simon didn't care to be caught in the middle of their painful displays of wounded manhood.
"Fish already cleaned?" he asked.
Sandburg nodded. "We cut most of it into strips for smoking. Kept a couple out in the cooler to cook tonight."
"Is there something we need to be doing, Jim?" Simon asked his unusually silent detective.
"I think we should set more traps," he said, looking up for the first time. Simon noticed a reddened patch on the other man's neck and wondered if he'd gotten into the mangoes again.
"You think someone is coming."
Jim shrugged. "Yeah. It's just a feeling, but it's good to be prepared."
Simon had learned to trust the man's instincts and nodded his agreement. "Wish I had my gun."
"I sincerely hope it won't come down to that, Simon."
"Me, too," Sandburg chimed in. He tucked some of his copiously curly hair behind his ear and Simon saw that he had a red patch on his neck as well. He hadn't made Captain because of his good looks, so it took him only seconds to make the connection. It had been a long time, but he could still recognize a love bite, particularly when it had a clear companion on Jim's neck. Which went a long way towards explaining why Jim and Sandburg were so comfortable with each other today. It also explained why they were studiously not looking at each other, as if they'd give themselves away, and that made him chuckle.
"Something funny?" Sandburg asked a bit defiantly. Simon suspected that he'd drawn attention to the love bite on purpose and now waited to see how his friend would react.
"Just thinking that I won the office pool and I can't even collect on it."
"Simon?" Jim asked, confused. But Sandburg gave him an appraising look, and then nodded when he saw what he needed to see.
"Joel will be disappointed," Simon said conversationally, eating more fruit. "He thought you two had been a couple since almost the first day."
Sandburg laughed, but Jim flushed. "Simon, I…"
Simon held up his hand. "We don't need to talk about this Jim. Just know that I'm happy for the two of you. And I'd like to remind you that we share sleeping quarters."
"Geez!" Now it was Sandburg's turn to blush.
"I do believe I'm going to retire with my book." Simon got up and walked to the water's edge to clean his hands. "Let me know when you want to talk traps."
"Yes, Sir," Jim replied. "And Simon…thanks."
He merely nodded and headed over to the bag that held his carryon items, retrieving his Jeffrey Deaver novel. He cast a quick glance back at his friends and his breath caught in his throat. Jim and Sandburg had their heads close together, the consultant murmuring something in the detective's ear. The look of pure adoration on Jim's face was staggering in its intensity; how had he managed to bottle that up for so long? The whole tableau spoke of intimacy and Simon felt a momentary stab of jealousy. Would he ever have that kind of connection with someone? He'd certainly never had it with Joan.
He turned away, and headed around the lake where he could stretch out and read in the grass. He was glad something good had come of their forced stay on the island, and only hoped that things wouldn't change when they all finally got home.
*o*o*o*
Jim couldn't get enough of Sandburg's mouth. Couldn't, in fact, believe he'd gone so many years without acquainting himself with it. That mouth was pure, undiluted Sandburg – hot and welcoming, full of boundless energy and pleasure. If they never moved on from kissing, Jim thought that would be okay.
"God, you're good at that," Sandburg gasped when they pulled apart. They'd wandered into the jungle a bit, just far enough for some privacy. Jim was glad that Simon seemed okay about the latest development in their relationship but that didn't mean he wanted to rub his face in it. He pulled Sandburg close, wrapping his arms around the smaller man. Everywhere his Guide touched him felt both soothed and energized, and he couldn't get enough of that either.
"We should talk about this, Jim." Sandburg nuzzled his neck.
"Whatever you want me to say, consider it said," Jim replied. He rubbed his cheek over those thick curls, knowing how close he'd come to losing them. Was it normal to love someone's hair this much?
"I just…what's gonna happen when we go home?" There was a thread of fear in Sandburg's voice that made Jim frown and pull back. His partner's deep blue eyes looked up at him, full of more emotions than Jim could name.
"This isn't a tropical fling for me, Chief."
"No, I know it's not. I do. It's just that things will be…different."
"First change is you moving out of that closet and upstairs," Jim said with a grin. He knew what Sandburg meant, though. Here they only had to contend with Simon. Back home there were friends and family who might not be as understanding. Never mind societal pressures. He also knew that he had a history of not reacting well to change, especially when it messed with the status quo.
"I won't let you down, not this time," he murmured. "Whatever happens, we face it together."
Sandburg pulled him down for a kiss. "You've never let me down, Jim. Never."
"I have," he insisted. "But I won't lose you, not again. When you…when you died, I wanted to die too."
"Jim."
More kissing, though now it was salty from Sandburg's tears. Jim knew he had a lot to make up for, and he was committed to making that happen. He wanted Sandburg in his life, a full partner in everything; he'd never wanted anything as strongly as he wanted this.
All of a sudden he could feel the Blessed Protector trying to surge to the surface. Jim jerked his head up and scented the wind, looking for signs of trouble.
"What is it?" Sandburg asked, going tense in Jim's arms. "What's wrong?"
Jim shook his head. "I'm not sure. Something…I can't put my finger on it. Damn!" He had to stop himself from growling with frustration. He tightened his hold on his partner, afraid that whatever was coming would take him away.
Protect the Guide.
"Jim? Jim! Don't wig out on me, man!" Sandburg put his hands up and pushed Jim back a few steps. "You still with me, big guy?"
It took an extreme amount of effort for him to be able to respond. "Still me." Barely.
"Okay, let me think for a minute." Sandburg started pacing, never getting beyond arm's reach of his Sentinel. "Would it help to do a full sensory scan of the island? Like you did that day on the beach?"
"Yeah. That would help."
Sandburg moved to face him and placed his hand over Jim's heart. "This time you come back when I call."
"I will."
"Okay, Jim. Start stretching out those senses, but only a little at a time. Scan the area closest to you and then move slowly outward."
With his partner guiding him, Jim opened his senses all the way and sent them out to find the source of his anxiety. He mapped Sandburg thoroughly, though he'd already done that several times. He could tell his Guide was nervous, but more so he felt the love that poured out of him. Love for Jim. It warmed him so much he had to force his senses to keep moving.
All was as it should be in camp. Simon had fallen asleep with his book on his chest. The senses moved out farther. It was quicker this time, to catalogue and file all the sounds and smells. The stench of the body on the beach made him gag, but his Guide was there to murmur softly and help him past it. Jim stretched out his senses until he had the whole island laid out before him once more, a living, breathing mass under his feet and all around him. A unique heartbeat made of birdsong and wind and waves and buzzing insects.
Jim closed his eyes and extended hearing, pushing past the shoreline, past the reef beyond, into the deep water. He felt as though he was tethered to his body by an increasingly thin rope that was getting stretched to its limit. He almost – almost –had difficulty feeling his Guide's hand on his chest, and he knew he had to pull back.
And then it was there, felt but unseen like a dark malignancy. Danger was coming towards them in a swiftly moving speedboat that was still too far away to accurately sense-map.
jim. come on back now.
He tried to get a head count or some idea of arsenal, but he just couldn't get a lock on either one. He needed to know, needed to defend what was his, but the more he tried the less he could sense his own body.
pull it back, jim. you promised me.
His Guide's words were a faint echo in his ears. There was power in them, though, a power he hadn't felt since the day of the storm.
pull it back! NOW!
This time it was the Shaman who called him and every instinct Jim had compelled him to respond. With tremendous strength of will he started to pull back on his senses, drawing them across the deep water towards the shore. Towards his Shaman.
that's right. follow my voice, jim.
Everything else sped by in a blur until he was staggering as he became aware of himself again. Sandburg held him up, kept him from falling, and Jim wrapped himself around the younger man like he was a lifeline.
"Jim? Are you okay?"
He just nodded, easing the strain on his senses by letting Sandburg's scent and touch wash over him like a balm.
"Thought I might have to open a vein this time," his partner laughed weakly. "That was intense, man."
"Sorry," Jim mumbled into Sandburg's hair.
"Hey, it's okay. You came back, right?" He gave Jim a tight squeeze and then pulled back enough so that he could see his face. "Is it what you thought?"
Jim nodded. "Pirates. They're a day or so out, maybe a little more. It was hard to tell."
"Well, that gives us some time to get ready, right?" Sandburg looked grim and Jim couldn't blame him. Even here, on an uninhabited island in the middle of the ocean, trouble had found them. And they were ill-equipped to face it head on.
Jim kissed Sandburg, and it was frantic and full of fear. He couldn't lose him, not now, not when they were finally together.
"It's okay, Jim," the Guide soothed. "We'll be okay."
Jim wished he could believe it.
*o*o*o*
That night Jim dreamed of the blue jungle. He moved through it purposefully, looking for one of his guides to tell him what was needed. He found the panther first, pacing aggressively back and forth between the trees.
"Take me," Jim said.
The big cat favored him with a baleful look but obediently took off running. Jim had a hard time keeping up, almost losing sight of his spirit guide a time or two. They raced right to the edge of a cliff and Jim skidded to a stop.
"I know this," he said, looking down. It took him a moment and then he remembered the vision he'd had in Peru, when he and Sandburg had gone to rescue Simon and Daryl. It had been a test, one that he'd had to pass to get his senses back when they'd mysteriously disappeared.
A short bark got his attention and he whirled around to see that the wolf had joined the panther, both of them standing shoulder to shoulder. The only time Jim had seen them together was in the vision at the fountain.
"What do you want me to do?" he asked, holding his hands palm-side up. "Help me."
"Only you can help yourself," a familiar voice said. Jim turned to the right and found himself face to face with…himself. Not the first time that had happened here in the blue jungle either. This version of Jim Ellison wore the black camouflage streaks on his face and carried a spear, his clothes Army issue. It was the guise of the Blessed Protector.
"Your final test is upon you."
"What test?" Jim asked apprehensively.
"You have given your mind to the Sentinel and your soul to the Guide. All that remains is that you give your heart to the Shaman. Then you will be complete."
"Blair is the Shaman?" he asked, though he already knew. He'd sensed a new power in his partner, had seen it with his own two eyes. They were more connected then they'd ever been, which was both terrifying and exhilarating.
"It is for you to decide," the Blessed Protector said solemnly.
"If I say no?" Jim felt compelled to ask, though he already knew what his answer would be.
"Your losses would be tremendous."
Jim nodded. He'd suspected as much. "I've had enough of loss. I choose the Shaman. I choose Blair."
"Then the circle is complete, Sentinel. Mind, body and soul committed willfully. Your trials will be many, but your rewards shall be boundless."
With that the Blessed Protector walked forward, towards Jim. Into him. The Sentinel was complete. Wolf and panther howled and roared their approval to the skies.
AN: Again with the long delay in updating this. I think I'm in raven mode – I keep seeing shiny new fics that distract me from working on this one. LOL! Hubby says I should just end it and move on, but I can't do that. I'll finish it like I'd planned and hopefully not make any of you feel jipped in the process. Thanks so much for sticking with me, you guys are great!