Title:  A Beautiful Baby

Author:  Angelee

Fandom:  The Sentinel

Pairing:  Blair and Jim (But not in the way you think) (o:

Rating: Mild

Summary:  What’s a guy to do when coming face to face with a beautiful baby?

Beta:  By my sister Anna.  All remaining errors are mine own.  With apologies.

 

A Beautiful Baby

 

“Cute kid.”

 

The beautiful lady with the gorgeous head of red hair smiled at him.  “Thank you.” He’s quite a handful at three months old.  Always kicking and carrying on.  The only time he’s still is when he’s asleep.”

 

Jim Ellison-twenty and just out of the service.  The Ex-Army Ranger eyed the cute as a button baby with the big blue eyes and the head of really curly hair. 

 

“Can I hold him?”

 

“Sure.”

 

The mom willingly surrendered her baby to the stranger.  If Jim thought that was odd he didn’t mention it.  He just wanted to hold the baby.

 

Blair stared at him with wide blue eyes silently for a moment, before giving Jim the biggest, toothless grin he’s ever seen and began gurgling at him.

 

“Friendly little fellow, aren’t you, chief?”  Jim told the baby, who continued to gurgle at him.

 

“Yes, Blair is that,” The mom told him proudly.  “My name is Naomi Sandburg, by the way.”

 

“Jim Ellison,” Naomi Sandburg was told absently as Jim continued to stare down at the baby.  Damn, he was cute.  Blair touched something deep within Jim.  Something he couldn’t name.  Something protective, something…something….

 

The Blair’s little hand came out from the blanket he was wrapped in and made a grab for Jim’s nose.  Jim let him catch it.  Moving it into the tiny palm.  Enjoying the clean baby scent of him.

 

After a long moment Jim looked at the mom in embarrassment.  His cheeks pinking slightly.  “I…I’m sorry.  It’s just…”

 

Naomi smiled at him. “No.  Don’t worry about it.  Blair likes you.  There’s nothing wrong with that and I know you won’t hurt my son.”

 

“How do you know that?”

 

Naomi’s blue eyes took on a strange faraway look.  “I know.  Just as I know you and my son are destined to be together.”  Those same eyes filled with tears.  “I won’t be there to see it.  My destiny is elsewhere.  I know my son will be safe with you and that makes me feel a little better.”

 

Jim frowned at her.  “What do you mean?”

 

Naomi gave him a shaky smile.  “I…”  Just then the baby let out a loud wail.  Loud enough to wake the dead.  “Oops, time for Blair to eat.  Would you like to feed him, Jim?  Let’s go to the restaurant over there.  I’m a little hungry, too.”

 

They made their way to the Chinese place Naomi indicated.  Jim had been coming to the mall every day for lunch and he knew it had really good food.  While they waited for their food to arrive Jim feed Blair.  Holding him protectively in his arms.

 

“He’s almost ready for baby food.  His Doctor days a few more weeks.” 

 

Jim watched with a gentle smile on his usually stoic face as the baby enthusiastically enjoyed his bottle.  His big blue eyes continued to stare up at him with fascination.

 

“I can’t get over how cute he is.”

 

Naomi smiled sadly at the two.  A hand gently caressing her son’s curly head.  “Here, he’d done with the bottle.  You need to burp him.  Let me put this on your shoulder so he doesn’t ruin your shirt.”

 

Jim carefully laid the baby on his shoulder looking at Naomi for guidance. Jim a man who could easily break a grown man in two, unsure in the handling a tiny infant.  He gently patted him the way Naomi indicated.  After a second or two Blair let out a burp, loud enough that the people at the next table turned to look at them and smile.  Once that was done Blair nuzzled sleepily against Jim’s neck.

 

“Would you like me to take him so you can eat?”

 

“N…no.  He’s fine.  I can hold him and eat.”

 

Naomi smiled at the quick response and the way the powerful arms tightened ever so slightly around her sleeping son.

 

She had chosen well. Now was the time for her to do the hardest thing she’d ever had to do in her life.

 

“I…I need to go to the ladies room.”  She gently kissed the top of her son’s head and walked away.  Jim nuzzling Blair’s curls with his nose never saw the tears of heart rendering grief that coursed down her beautiful face.

 

It took ten minutes before Jim realized Naomi wasn’t back.  Half an hour to realize she might not be coming back.  An hour to know she most definitely wasn’t coming back.

 

The police were called.  While Jim made his report someone from child welfare showed up by the name of Julia Caldwell.   Nice enough lady.  Polite, well-groomed, but when she made a move to take the sleeping baby from Jim. 

 

She received from Jim a tense hostile. “Touch the baby and you die.”

 

Causing her to move back in alarm.  “Mr. Ellison, you aren’t the baby’s father.  I’ll take him now.  He’ll be well cared for, I assure you.”

 

Jim growled at her.  “Touch the baby and you’ll be dead before you ever lay a finger on him.”

 

Suddenly Julia Caldwell went from nice lady to not so nice lady.  “Look Mr. Ellison.  The baby is not yours.  I will get a policemen over here and take him from you by force.”  When Jim’s only response was a drawing of his eyebrows and the blue of his eyes going glacier.  With a wave of a hand she brought over a police lieutenant, who looked at her curiously.  “Mr. Ellison here refuses to give the baby over to me.”

 

“Mr.  Ellison?”

 

“No.”

 

“Please, Mr. Ellison-don’t make me arrest you.”

 

Blue eyes flashed angrily at both of them.  “Arrest me.  You’re still not taking the baby.”

 

The police officer sighed.  “Alright, lets go.”

 

Jim made to follow the policeman.  “Oh, wait-the baby’s bag,” He got in the police car with little fuss. Once in and situated.  “Hey, it all right if I make some calls?”  he asked, digging in his pocket for his cell.

 

“Yeah, go ahead.  Calling your lawyer?”  the police lieutenant asked as he put the squad car in gear.

 

Jim smiled.  “No.  Someone who can help a hell of a lot faster than a lawyer.”  Dialing.  “Hey, Dad its Jim.  I need your help.”

 

By the time they’d made it to the police station his father and a slew of lawyers on retainer for one of the richest men in Cascade were waiting. As well as Simon, Jim’s boss and the whole staff of Major Crimes.  Who’d become Jim’s friends.

 

“What happened?”  Simon asked him as Jim placed the diaper bag on his desk.

 

Jim uncovered the baby’s face so everyone could have a look.  “Blair happened.”

 

“Hey, he’s a real cutie.  Isn’t he?”  Rafe, one of the Detectives in Major crimes asked as he looked at the baby.  “Look at all that hair.”

 

“Yeah,” Jim replied softly as the baby smiled happily up at him.  “You’re a good boy aren’t you, Blair?” The baby wrinkled his tiny nose and gave him a giggle. “Are you hungry, Chief?”

 

Everyone in the room watched as the big tough ex-ranger held the baby against him as he dug through the bag for a bottle,  Not really noticing when a piece of paper fell to the floor.

 

Simon picked it up.  “What’s this?” 

 

Jim looked at it curiously, shrugging.  “Don’t know.  Open it up and let’s see.”

 

Jim’s boss opened it and began to read.  “Dear, Mr. Ellison, I’ve been watching you for sometime. Otherwise I would never ever have done this. Not with the life and happiness of my son. I cannot for reasons I am unable to go into, take care of Blair.  You are a kind and gentle man despite your size.”  Simon glared at the snickers that comment brought.  “I have seen this many, many times as I have watched you over the last two months. This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I leave Blair with you with a great sadness, but know he’ll be well loved and cared for. You and my son were meant to be together.  Please love him and raise him as your own. Tell him about me when he gets older.  Tell him that I did love him, very much. Because of that love, I did what I knew was best for him. With many, many tears and a heart that will be forever broken.  I leave Blair to you. Take care of your new son, Jim.  He is yours now and for the rest of eternity.  Blessed Be, Naomi Sandburg.”

 

Jim looked over at Julia Caldwell.  “Try and take him from me now.”  Unspoken were words Jim didn’t utter, but clearly heard in the room.  His dislike plain in his tone.

 

“What do you know of raising a child?” 

 

He was starting to like Caldwell less and less.  “I know plenty and what I don’t know I’ll learn.”

 

Jim’s dad had been listening quietly to everything that had been going on finally spoke up.  “You will leave my son and new grandson alone.  What is your name by the way?  I will have your job on a silver platter if you continue this.  Caldwell opened her mouth.  “No, don’t bother telling me.  My lawyers will have the child services so tied up in paper work Blair will have a son of his own before this is cleared up.  Do I make myself clear?”

 

Crystal.”

 

“Fine, good day to you.”  She left after giving Jim a angry glare. William Ellison turned to his son.  They’d never gotten along, until recently.  Having many quiet meals together as they got reacquainted with one another.  William knew in his heart of hearts Jim was a good and decent man.  A loving and gentle man, contrary to his almost icy cold demeanor.  “Are you sure about this, son?”

 

“Yeah, Dad.  Very sure.  Can you have your lawyers start on the paperwork so no one can take Blair away from me?”

 

Jim watched his father quietly as the older man gently caressed the curls on the baby’s head with is forefinger.  Blair smiled at him, waving his little arms frantically.  William smiled.  “Yes, son.  It can be arranged.  This happened very fast didn’t it?”

 

“Yeah.  One minute I was alone and the next I had a baby,” he gave his father a stunned smile.  “A beautiful, baby boy.  Dad, I don’t know anything about babies.  What am I going to do?”

 

William smiled at him.  “You do what every other parent on the planet does.  The best you can.  But you’ll have help, Jim.  You’re not completely alone in this.”

 

Jim looked down at the baby in his arms.  Overwhelmed by emotions he’d never felt before.  “Dad…” he said helplessly.

 

William placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.  “One day at a time, son.  You take it one day at a time.”

 

Jim kissed the top of Blair’s head.  “He is a beautiful baby, isn’t he?”

 

“Yes, son, he truly is.”