Title: The Ceremony
Author: Angelee
Fandom: The Sentinel (Littlest Guide)
Pairing: Jim/Blair, Steven/Michael, Rafe/Lee, (preslash) William/Daniel (slash)
Rating (Adult)
Summary: A ceremony and a mystery.
Beta: By my sister Anna. All remaining errors are mine- apologies.
The Ceremony
“Jim?” The young Sentinel looked up from sorting socks. Dropping the pair in his hands guiltily. “What are you doing?”
“Hmm…”
“Come on, tell me?”
“Hmm, sorting socks?”
“Ah-huh.”
“Yeah, I am. I’m not sorting Sentinel style. I swear it.” He gave him a rueful grin. “At least not much.”
“You’re a cool brother for a dork,” Steven told him, sitting on the bed next to him.
Jim chuckled. “I think there was a compliment in there somewhere.”
Steven touched his arm. “Yeah, there was.”
Jim looked at him critically. “How do you feel? Better?”
“Yeah, thanks. I’ve got something to ask you.”
Jim picked up the pair of socks he’d dropped. “Okay.”
“Daniel wants part of this family.”
“I thought he was.”
Steven took the socks away from the young Sentinel. “Yeah, but he wants a bigger part. He wants to be our Dad.”
“Won’t that get kinda confusing?”
“Not really. We just have two Dads bossing us around.”
Jim took the socks back. “Like you bossing us around wasn’t enough.”
“Heh, funny. What do you say?”
Jim shrugged his shoulders. “Fine by me. You gotta ask the others though. But I don’t see a problem.”
“Me neither. Where is everyone, anyway?”
“They’re making sandwiches in the kitchen. Want something to eat?”
“I could eat,” Steven replied, grabbing the socks. Jim gave him a brilliant smile. “What?” Steven asked puzzled.
“It means you really are feeling better if you want something to eat.”
Steven gave him a gentle shove with his shoulder. “Crazy brother.”
“Love you.”
“I know and I love you just as much.” Jim frowned. “What?” Steven asked curiously.
“We sure are mushy.”
“Yeah, so?”
“So nothing. I was just saying. The others are coming up the stairs right now. You can ask them about Daniel.”
***
Steven talked to all of them and they all agreed that having Daniel as a father would be great.
It had been Steven’s task to tell Daniel, who’s green eyes
promptly filled with tears. Many hugs
and kisses later the ceremony was scheduled for
“You don’t know what this means.”
Jim with Blair in his arms, answered for them all. “Yes, we do. You’ve been a great friend and you’ll make an ever better Dad.”
Daniel blinked away the tears. “Thank you. Shall we get started?” The Shaman walked slowly to stand in front of Lee. “We’ll start with you, Lee. Is that alright?”
Lee nodded eagerly. “Oh, yes. I love the idea of having two dads. I think it’s cool.”
Daniel cupped the side of his face, reaching down he gently kissed his forehead. “Thank you.” Pulling away slowly. “I Daniel solemnly vow with everything in me to love, honor and cherish you for the rest of my days. I promise to be the best father possible. Do you accept me and my vow to you, Lee Brackett Ellison?”
“Yes.”
“Give me your left hand.” Lee gave it without hesitation, placing it in Daniel’s open palm. He watched silently as the Shaman lifted a tiny knife from a small case. Meeting his blue eyes. “It’s not too late to back out.”
“No.”
Daniel smiled at him brilliantly. Taking the tiny knife carefully nicked Lee’s palm. Not deeply, just enough to allow the blood to flow. He then did the same to his own. “Ready?”
Lee nodded. “Yes.” Daniel gently placed their palms together mixing their blood. “This is kinda like an Indian blood ritual, isn’t it?”
Daniel nodded. “Yes, only with a slight difference.” Saying that Daniel raised his other hand. Allowing everyone to see that his forefinger was glowing a bright yellow. He gently ran it over the tiny cut, healing it.
“That’s so cool,” Lee told him awed. “And it didn’t even hurt.”
Daniel cupped the side of his face. “The ways of the Shaman. Blair will be able to do it as well, when he gets older. Lee Brackett my blood now mixes with yours. You are now and forever my son.”
“Cool.” Lee turned toward the group of quietly watching. “I’m now Lee Brackett Ellison Peterson”
Steven smiled at him as Lee showed him his now healed palm. “If your name gets any bigger you’re going to topple over.”
“Yup. Great isn’t it?” Lee asked him smiling goofily.
“Yeah, it is.”
“Blair, you’re next. Jim would you like to do it at the same time?”
Jim nodded. “Yes. Me and Blair will do it together.”
What followed was the same ritual for all of them. Until Daniel looked over his family giving them all a brilliant if not watery smile.
It had been especially poignant with Blair. The tiny Guide had held up his finger to Daniel, it was glowing the same as Daniel’s. It had brought renewed tears to the Shaman’s eyes.
He had a Shaman son. Someone to share the ways of the Shaman. A son to pass the torch to. Something he thought he’d never be able to do.
Daniel stared out at his family. He sighed happily. His family. Finally after all this time he had a family to call his own.
William, the love of his life was watching him a proud grin on his face. The proudest grin, Daniel had ever seen.
They’d all started at each other goofily until Steven had declared loudly and quite vocally he was hungry and enough of the mushy stuff.
***
“Pass the Doritos, Lee,” Steven asked his brother.
Lee did. “So what are you going to do on Saturday?”
Steven opened the bag noisily. “Don’t know. Was thinking of going to the movies. Wanna go with me?”
Lee took a swallow of milk. “Sure.”
“Hey, what about me?” Rafe asked, with a slight frown.
“Eat your sandwich,” Steven told him. “You can come to if you absolutely have to.”
Rafe took a bite of his turkey sandwich. “Geez, thanks.”
“No problem. Why do you wanna go anyway? I thought you had something to do with, Daniel.”
“I do, but it’s only going to take an hour or so in the morning. Besides I wanna be where my Guide is.”
Steven rolled his eyes. “Can’t you be without Lee for a couple of hours without going all crazy?”
Rafe smiled at him. “No.”
“Geez. Alright come, but you’re buying the popcorn.”
“What, you think I’m made of money or something?”
Steven nibbled on the edge of a Dorito. “Or something.”
Rafe frowned. “Are you insulting me?”
“Yup.”
“You’re mean, you know that? And me with sensitive feelings and all.”
Steven handed him the bag of chips. “Yeah, hmm-okay.”
Rafe took it. “I am.”
“Ha. I could call you the worst Sentinel the world has ever seen and all you’d do is look to Lee for confirmation. Which he won’t give you. You’d cuddle and bond for a bit and then you come back to me for another round. You use me for your evil intent.”
“What does that mean?”
“You get me to insult you so that you can get extra cuddling time with Lee. Sissy.”
Rafe thought about it for a moment. “You’re right.”
“I know I’m right.”
“I’m not the worst Sentinel the world has ever see, am I?” Steven didn’t answer, he just waited for what he knew was about to happen. Rafe turned to his Guide. “I’m not, am I Lee?” he asked, voice all pitiful. Lower lip starting to pout.
Lee patted his arm. “No you’re not, Rafe. You’re a good Sentinel. Really good.”
Rafe turned to Steven. “See. I’m not.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
Rafe looked over at his Guide. “Cuddle?”
Lee smiled at him. “Okay.”
“Shit, I knew it. You both use me to get in an extra cuddle,” Steven said in disgust.
Both Guide and Sentinel smiled at him. “Yup,” They replied together.
Steven rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “Geez.” He looked around the room. “Where’s Jim and Blair?”
Rafe tilted his head to the side. “I don’t feel them. They’re not in the house.”
“Lee, did Jim tell you if they were going anywhere?”
Lee shook his head. “No.”
“Huh. That’s weird. Maybe Dad and Daniel know.”
Steven jumped up from the chair. He hurriedly went into the living room, where Daniel and William were reading the newspaper and enjoying a cup of coffee and each other’s company.
“Have you seen Jim or Blair?”
Both Daniel and William look up startled by the worried tone in Steven’s voice.
“No, son,” William answered. “Not since the ceremony. Why?”
Steven frowned. “They’re not in the house and no one’s seen them.” He looked at Daniel. “Nice ceremony by the way, Daniel.”
The Shaman smiled at him. “Yes, it was. Have you asked Rafe to see if he can find where they’re at?”
“Tried. He can’t sense them. Where are they?” Steven asked worriedly. “It’s not like them to just leave without saying where they’re going. Where the h…heck could they be?”