Title: I Think I Love You

Author: Angelee

Fandom: The Sentinel

Pairing: Jim/Blair

Summary: It doesn’t matter how grumpy think you are.

Note: Challenge given by AJ aka Jyrre. Write a Story with Jim as Guide and Blair as Sentinel.

Beta: By my sister Anna. All remaining errors are mine-with apologies.

I Think I Love You

“It’s a stupid idea. You don’t pick Guides this way. It’s like picking a puppy from a pet store window. You know… How much is that Guide in the window? How much could he be?”

Rafe rolled his eyes at his best friend. “That’s just how it’s done. It’s not good or bad, it’s just done.”

Blair sighed unhappily. Going through the door Rafe held open for him, leading to a possible Guide for him.

“It still doesn’t make it right.”

“I know. I know. I’ve had to listen to you bitch about it for the last hour. Stop already. Choose a Guide and let’s go home.”

“I’m not happy about this at all.”

Rafe let him to the office where the Director of Guide Affairs was waiting. “I know. Believe me I know.”

Blair gave him a brilliant smile. “Have I been a pain in the ass about it?”

Rafe’s aggrieved look cleared at the bright smile his friend gave him. They’d been friends since first grade. And his curly haired friend had always been the same. Bubbly, always happy and cheerful. Rafe could never stay mad at him, not matter how much he wanted to.

Then Blair had gone online. Become a full fledged Sentinel almost over night. That’d been two days ago. Now he needed to find a Guide to keep him stable.

It’d taken Rafe everything in his arsenal to get Blair to finally agree to come to the Center and choose a Guide.

On second thought Rafe thought to himself, maybe it is a lot like choosing a puppy from a pet store.

Dr Taggart, the Director, smiled at them as he waited for them at his door. “Hello, gentlemen. Ready?”

“I guess,” Blair reluctantly agreed.

“Good. It’s this way. They’ve been told to expect you.” Taggart led them down a hallway. “We have a good mix this time.”

“You’re making them sound like…”

“Puppies?” At Blair’s surprised look. “We’ve heard that before,” Taggart told him with a smile. “They don’t mind. We’ve asked them. I just meant that during the winter and the coming holidays more Guides are available than at any other time of the year. They’re free from work and any other obligations. Here we are.”

Blair looked in the observation window, separating, him from the potential Guides. They were men, women of all sizes and shapes. Sitting, standing, talking among themselves. Some sitting in comfortable chairs reading or listening to music.

He looked at them all with interest. Rafe watching his friend with a smile on his handsome face. Blair was curious about everything that went on around him. The smile vanished. Only this time it was a matter of life and death. Blair’s.

If he didn’t come away with a Guide this day, Blair would slowly die. Losing himself in the zones only the presence of a Guide could control. Nothing fancy. He just needed to be near him or her. Allowing the calming effects of their pheromones to stabilize them. Whoever Blair chose would move in with him. Become an intricate part of his life.

It was an honor to be chosen by a Sentinel. A position much sought after. They’d want for nothing for the rest of their lives.

Blair had argued about the loss of self. He didn’t want someone chained to him who didn’t want to be with him. He couldn’t do that to them. He just couldn’t.

Taggart had explained to him that the Guide, whoever he chose went with him willingly. There would be problems to be sure. The relationship between a Sentinel and Guide was much like a marriage. Much give and take on both sides.

But if the Guide didn’t want to do it. They simply did not have to answer their pager when it went off, signaling that a Sentinel was seeking a Guide.

As Blair looked over the room, he thought to himself. If by the looks of everyone in there was any indication. They really did want a Sentinel in their life.

Suddenly he spotted someone sitting by the window. “Oh,” he whispered softly.

“What?” Rafe asked curiously, peering into the room curiously.

“He’s beautiful,” Blair whispered softly.

“Who?”

“Sitting over by the window. God, he’s the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen in my life.”

“That’s James Ellison. I don’t think you want him,” Taggart told him worriedly.

“Why?”

“He’s contrary, churlish and not very easy to get along with.”

Blair pressed his nose to the windowpane. “He looks okay to me.”

“He’s not. Dozens of Sentinel’s have turned him down.”

“But why. He looks okay to me. More than okay actually.”

Taggart looked into the window as well. “Looks can be deceiving. He’s not the Guide for you. Choose another.”

“But why?”

“You have a completely different personality that he does. He can be cold and uncompromising. You on the other hand are warm and personable. To much like fire and ice.”

“But I want him,” Blair replied, lower lip going out in a pout. “Really, I do.”

“No,” Blair. Not him. Pick another.”

Taggart watched in amazement as Blair’s big, blue eyes filled with tears. “No. Him.”

“Blair, please?”

“No. Him.”

“Blair…”

Before Taggart could stop him Blair opened the door and rushed in. All the Guides in the room looked up expectantly.

But Blair had eyes for only one person. That person continued to stare out the window overlooking a local park. No real interest in what was going on in the room. He wouldn’t be chosen anyway.

He was a Guide without a Sentinel. Time and time again he was skipped over by potential Sentinels. It hurt, it really hurt. Trying anyway despite the pain. Hoping against hope that there was a Sentinel out there somewhere that would want and need him.

Blair went right up to Jim. Laying his head on a broad shoulder, he looked up into startled blue eyes.

“I think I love you,” He said, happily. “I really, really do think so.”

Taggart sighed. “Blair’s going to get killed,” he said resignedly having quickly followed Blair in. “We’re never going to find his cute, bubbly body.”

Rafe watched all the disappointed Guides file out of the room. Many of them mumbling unhappily to themselves. Some about Blair’s choice or lack thereof.

“He can’t be that bad.”

“Ha. You don’t know James Joseph Ellison.”

Taggart winced when he saw Jim’s arms go up, seemingly to push Blair away. “I can’t look. Oh, God, I can’t look. Tell me when it’s over. Oh, God I hope Blair doesn’t suffer too much,” He said, covering his eyes with his hands.

“He doesn’t look like he’s in any pain. Quite the opposite actually,” Rafe replied softly.

Taggart peeked from between his fingers, to see Jim chuckling softly. “Oh, you do-do you?” He said as he pulled Blair into his lap.

The curly haired man nodded cheerfully. “Oh, yes. I think I’ll love you forever and ever.” Purring happily when Jim began to gently stroke his hair. “Love me back?” he whispered softly, wistfully. “Please?”

Jim tangled his fingers in the softest hair he’d ever felt, kind of like touching warm silk.

“I could.”

“Oh, now that’s nice. More,” The Sentinel demanded, moving his head into the caress. “Be mine.”

“Maybe.”

“Pretty please. We kinda sound like a Valentine card-huh?”

Jim gently kneaded Blair’s scalp with the tips of his fingers. Smiling when Blair went completely and totally boneless. “Just a little.”

“Keep doing that and I’ll be yours for the rest of eternity.”

“Yeah?”

“Hmm,” Blair replied sleepily. “For ever and ever. Come home with me? Be my Guide.”

Jim pulled his Sentinel closer. “Yes, I think I will,” he replied, laying his head against Blair soft, curly hair. “In a little while though. You need to rest for a bit. Close your eyes, my beautiful, little Sentinel. Close your eyes. I’ll watch over you and keep you safe. Sleep.”

Blair sighed softly, made himself comfortable against the Guide, with a content sigh. “Kay,” he replied sleepily, doing as he was bid.

Jim looked over at the two men watching them. One with a stunned look on his face, the other with a big, happy grin. He gave them a brilliant smile as he pulled his Sentinel closer within his protective embrace.

“Mine,” he whispered, contently, happily.