Title: The Gift of Time

Author:  Angelee

Pairing:  Jim/Blair (very preslash)

Beta: By my sister Anna.  All final errors are mine.  With sincere apologies.

 

The Gift of Time

 

 

Jim sighed heavily as he looked at himself in the mirror.  He didn’t seem any different, but he knew for a fact that he was indeed different. His father had told him all about the changes his body was going to go through.  He wasn’t all that sure he was ready for it, not much to be done about it though.  It was going to happen if he wanted it or not. 

 

He looked down at his traitorous body.  He could already see hair coming in.  At his groin and underarms.  He didn’t mind that so much as he minded the feelings that were starting to take over.  Feelings that made his body feel weird.  His father had said that that was normal.  All boys went through that.  He wasn’t a teenager yet so he really shouldn’t be going through it, but Simon had said he wasn’t exactly normal.  None of the other guys were going through changes.  He’d checked using his enhanced senses.  He really shouldn’t have done that-right to privacy and all.  But he couldn’t exactly go up to them and ask them. “Hey do you have hair coming in around your privates?” They’d kill him for sure.

 

Yet slowly ever so slowly he was going crazy.  His body was needing things he was no way in hell going to give it.  Not yet. There was a girl in school.  Fifteen and very pretty.  Long red hair and green eyes.  Her name was Daisy.  She kept looking at him in class and had started going over to him at lunch when Blair was busy being tested by Simon.  A week ago she’s started rubbing herself against him like some sort of cat.  He was picking up a scent from her that wasn’t too bad and it offered an answer to his problem.  He wasn’t that stupid not to notice THAT.  Well that and the fact she’d asked him to go with her behind the bleachers.   But he didn’t want Daisy, pretty as she was.  He didn’t want her.

 

Jim had decided he was going to wait for Blair.  He might only be eleven, but he already knew that his little Guide was his heart and soul and he wasn’t about to give that up for some kind of physical relief that only last a few minutes.   

 

But he couldn’t keep hiding from Blair that he was in pain.  His little Guide was starting to look at him funny.  He hadn’t questioned him about it yet.  And if Blair did how the hell was he going to explain that he was going hormonal. There’s no way a three year old would understand something like that.

 

Jim rubbed his groin.  Moaning at how sensitive it was.  Damn.  He could stay in the bathroom and take care of himself like he had been doing since that day in Las Vegas when he’d discovered why his body was acting weird.

 

Jim stared at himself in the mirror.  Resolved to the fact that he was going to wait for Blair and share that part of himself just as they’d shared everything else.  He didn’t care how much he hurt, he was going to wait.  In the mean time…

 

Reaching over to the bathroom door he locked it.

 

While Jim was in the bathroom Blair, H and Rafe were sitting outside in the backyard  waiting for him so they could go to the park.  Carl was to meet them there after he finished his chores.

 

H and Rafe started talking about their new favorite subject-girls. The little Guide hearing a soft mewling went it search of it.  Rafe and H didn’t notice that he was no longer sitting next to them.

 

Blair searched out the sound until he found Blackie in the big tree in the middle of the yard.  The tiny, black kitten looked down at him and meowed even louder.

 

“No worry Blackie, I help,” he told the kitten as he began to climb.

 

Jim opened the back door finally ready to go to the park.  He saw Rafe and H, but no little Guide. “Where’s Blair?” he asked, frowning.

 

Both Rafe and H looked around.  “He was here a minute ago,” H replied.

 

Suddenly there was a yell and the sound of a body hitting the ground.

 

“Blair.  Oh, my God, Blair,” Jim said in horror.  “He’s fallen from the tree.” He ran to where his little Guide lay on the ground, holding his left arm.  He carefully touched Blair’s arm biting his lip hard when the little Guide flinched.  “Oh, God, Blair.” 

 

“Is he okay?”  Rafe asked, fright widening his dark brown eyes.

 

Jim’s brows drew together, a red haze of anger covering him.  “It’s broken.  I left him here with you.  I trusted you to take care of him.”

 

Rafe took a step back from the fire in the flashing blue eyes.  “I…I didn’t know he wasn’t sitting with us.”

 

“You’re supposed to know.  Especially when I trust you to take care of him.  I TRUSTED YOU!”  With that Jim launched himself at his stunned friend with intent to do serious injury.  “I TRUSTED YOU WITH HIM.  You fucking asshole.  I’m going to kill you.”

 

H threw himself between the two.  “No, Jim.  DON’T.”

 

The furious Sentinel kept reaching for Rafe.  “I’m going to kill you.”

 

Suddenly a deep voice boomed.  “Sentinel stand down.  NOW!”

 

Jim turned to see Simon coming hurriedly into the backyard.  Before reaching for Rafe again, who took a several steps back.

 

“I SAID stand down, Sentinel,” Simon boomed again.  “See to your Guide.  NOW.”

 

Jim shook his head enough to clear the heavy haze as he turned toward Blair who was quietly crying. 

 

“Baby.  Oh, my God, Blair.”  Jim gently took his little Guide in his arms. “Oh, Blair.”

 

“Hurts, Jim, hurts.”

 

“I know, Baby.  I know.”  Jim looked up at Simon who’d was now kneeling beside them.  “His arm is broken.”

 

Simon sighed heavily.  “Okay.  Let’s get him to the hospital and get it taken care of.”

 

***

 

At the hospital the Sentinel was separated from his Guide when they took him up to x-ray.  Then nurses refused to allow Jim to go with Blair.  So he waited.

 

Prowling the waiting room like a caged panther.  Moving back and forth, beside himself with worry.

 

“He’s going to be alright,” Simon told him softly as he watched the young Sentinel.

 

“It should never have happened.”

 

“Jim, come here and sit down.”  Jim went to the chair Simon indicated.  “You can’t enclose Blair in a plastic bubble to keep him away from anything that’s going to hurt him.  Or guard him every minute of every day.  This kind of stuff is going to happen. Unsettling as it is.  It’s going to happen.”

 

Jim wiped at the tears coursing down his face impatiently.  “I left for a few minutes.  I thought H and Rafe would look after him for me.  They didn’t.”

 

Simon sighed again.  “Listen to me, Jim.  You can’t blame Rafe and H for this.  It was an accident.”

 

Angry blue eyes met Simon’s.  “An accident that should never have happened.  Wouldn’t have happened if they were looking out for him like I asked.”

 

Simon was stunned by the look in those startling blue eyes.  They held a wealth of emotion.  Most of it not good.

 

“There’s something else going on here.  Wanna talk about it?”

 

Jim hopped back to his feet to begin his prowling all over again.  “No.”

 

“Come on, Jim.  I might be able to help.”

 

“No.”

 

Simon watched the young Sentinel as he worked his way around the room.  Seeing grief, fear, tension in those very young shoulders.  He decided to try again.

 

“Talk to me, Jim.  Please.”

 

“I said no,” Jim said, viciously.

 

Simon was taken back by the venom in Jim’s voice.  “Don’t take that tone with me, young man.”  He responded quietly, trying to defuse what could grow to be a very bad scene.

 

Jim turned to him, his brows drawing together angrily.  Simon had never seen him look or act this way, not the whole time he’s been living in the Ellison household.  This was not the Jim he knew and loved.

 

“Leave me the fuck alone,” Jim hissed at him angrily.

 

“JIM!”  William said, shocked by his son’s tone of voice.  Coming into the waiting room trailed by Steven and Sally.  “You will not talk to Simon that way. Apologize this minute.”

 

“No.”

 

“Jim, do as I say.”

 

Jim turned to glare at his father and with a growl of pure, frustrated rage rammed his left hand through one of the many glass panes that lined the nearly empty waiting room.  Sending a spray of broken glass all over the room.

 

“Jim, what have you done?”  William hurried to his son’s side carefully cradling Jim’s hand in his.

 

Simon quickly took charge, bustling the trembling Sentinel into one of the emergency rooms. After a few minutes the cut had stopped bleeding.  “Well, you young man, are going to need stitches.”  He looked up trying to meet the Sentinel’s eyes, Jim sullenly refused to. Simon shook his head sadly.  He turned to the nurse waiting near by.  “Get me a stitch kit, please.  And could you please check and see if Blair is out of x-ray.  He’s been gone a long time.”

 

He turned to William, Steven and Sally who where anxiously waiting in the room with them.  “It’s going to take at quite a few stitches, but it didn’t cut through any nerves.  So that’s good.  I am surprised though that the pain didn’t send him into a zone.”

 

“I think you spoke to soon, Simon,” Steven said softly, going to stand near his very silent, very still brother.

 

“Shit,” Simon hissed.  “Nurse, get Blair down here, stat.  Jim’s zoned.”  He met the very worried eyes of Jim’s father.  “What the hell is going on here?”

 

“I…I wish I knew,” William replied as he gently pushed sweat-soaked hair off his pale son’s face.  “He hasn’t been acting like Jim since we got back from Las Vegas.  Some thing is very, very wrong.”

 

“Yeah, there has been.  Steven has Jim talked to you about it at all?”  Simon asked Steven.  Who shook his head. 

 

“No.  He’s been really, really quiet.  I’ve been trying to get him to talk to me but he won’t.”

 

Simon turned to Sally.  Who shook her head as well.  “Nothing.  I have noticed that he’s not eating again. Could there be another Sentinel in Cascade like Alex?”

 

“No.  I would have heard about it before now.  Where the hell is that nurse with word on Blair?”  Simon asked anxiously.

 

Just then the nurse came in carrying Blair who now sported a blue cast on his left arm.  “The orthopedic Doctor was in x-ray, so he decided that it would be best to go ahead and cast Blair.”  She smiled at the cute little boy in her arms.  “He was very brave.”

 

Blair tilted his head to the side as he silently contemplated his Sentinel.  “Down,” he demanded softly.

 

Steven saw what needed to be done, had a chair ready for Blair as soon as the little Guide got close enough, carefully placing him on it.

 

Blair ran his forefinger of his right hand down the bridge of Jim’s nose, like he’d done at the restaurant many months back.  Bringing his Sentinel back from the zone with deceptive ease.

 

Jim took a deep breath.  “Baby?  Oh, God Blair.  Help me,” Jim said whispered hoarsely.

 

Blair tilted his head to the side allowing his Sentinel to bury his head against his neck.  Jim keened softly as his Guide began releasing scent, in a stronger dose that ever before.  Blair seemed to realize how close to the edge Jim was walking and was doing everything in his considerable power to back him away from it.

 

It took a long time for Jim to feel he could move away from the calming influence of his little Guide’s scent.  Blair took it all in stride.  Gently stroking Jim’s hair with his right hand, his casted one resting carefully against his Sentinel’s back.

 

Finally Jim pulled away slightly.  “Thank-you, Baby.”  He said voice trembling.

 

“Hurt?”  Blair asked softly.

 

“Yeah,” Jim admitted just as softly.   “Still hurts.  I’m going to need you again.  Is that okay?”

 

Blair nodded.  “Okay.  I taken care Sentinell, Always.”

 

Jim smiled shakily.  “Yeah, you do.  Oh, God, Blair, I bled all over you,” he said regretfully.

 

“Let’s take care of that right now,” Simon told him, motioning to the nurse.

 

***

 

Jim’s left hand, stitched and bandaged, now rested in his room with his little Guide held tightly against him.  It took eight stitches to close the wound on the palm of his hand as well as five more to close the wounds scattered all over the top. 

 

William sighed softly as he looked at his two sons from the doorway to the bedroom.  “What the hell is going on?  Why won’t you talk to us, Jim?”  Sadly he turned from the doorway going in search of Simon and hopefully some answers.

 

Jim woke with a violent start, waking his little Guide.  He started up at the bedroom ceiling not really seeing it.  Lost in the swirling emotions that had become his life.  Slowly he was brought back to the here and now by the scent his little Guide had begun releasing.

 

Jim moaned softly.  Wrapping his arms around Blair tightly, he keened as it eased the deep ache in his soul.  Not realizing that tears were coursing down his face until he felt Blair’s tiny hands wiping them away.

 

“Sad?”  Blair asked softly.

 

Jim sighed.  “Yeah, Baby.  I am.”

 

Blair stroked Jim’s face gently, a tiny smile on his cute little face when his Sentinel moved his face into the caress.  “Why?”

 

“Lots of reasons.  There’s not just one.” His eyes filling with tears all over again.  He thought he’d gotten over the tear thing months ago.  He guessed not as Blair continued to wiped them way gently.  “Can I listen to your heartbeat for awhile?”  Jim asked his voice hitching.

 

Blair nodded solemnly, allowing his Sentinel to carefully flip him over.  Silence filled the room as Jim listen to the calming rhythms of his little Guide’s heart.  The only motions were that of Blair gently caressing Jim’s hair and the tears of a Sentinel who had no idea how to control what was happening to him.

 

***

 

WORSE

 

Thing seemed to calm a bit after that.  Jim seemed to be able to get control over whatever was happening.  He seemed calmer to everyone at least most everyone.

 

He still couldn’t see Rafe without wanting to kill him.  It had taken H an hour of calmly talking to the sullen Sentinel to get him to see reason.  Not to mention he had to own up to his own part in Blair’s accident.  That was the thing no one understood.  H was there too and Jim had not wanted to kill him.  He’d only wanted to kill Rafe.

 

Steven understood, but he wasn’t about to give away his brother’s secret.  He was trying to help without having to tell his Dad and Dr. Banks that Jim was unreasonably jealous of Rafe.  Jim would never forgive him for that.  So he tried to help the best way he could.  Helplessly watching as the days past and a lost, really, sad look came into Jim’s blue eyes all over again.  Steven HATED that look.

 

“Why don’t you get Blair to scent you?”  Steven asked Jim as they waited for Blair to finish up with his play dates.

 

“I…I can’t keep asking Blair to do that.  We’d never leave the room.  He has a life too.”  Jim told him softly.

 

“He’s your Guide.  He understands,  Steven reasoned.  Hating seeing his brother so antsy. If Jim keep running his hands through his hair any more he was going to be bald by the time he was fifteen.

 

“I can’t,” Jim hissed at him.

 

“You can,” Steven hissed back.

 

“Shut the fuck up,” Jim told him, glaring blue daggers at him.

 

Steven signed.  “You can’t keep going like this.  How long to do think it’s going to be before Blair picks up on it and kicks you fat ass.”

 

“What the fuck do you want me to do?”  Jim asked helplessly.

 

“Talk.”

 

“To who?  I can’t tell this kind of stuff to Blair.  He’s too little,” Jim replied once again running his hands through his hair. 

 

Steven reached over and took the violently, trembling bandaged hand carefully in his.  “Then talk to me.  Tell me what’s going on.  I won’t tell any one.  I swear I won’t.”

 

Jim gave Steven a shaky smile, looking down at their hands.  “Don’t you think that’s going to make us look like sissies?”

 

“I don’t care.  You’re my brother and I want to help.  Talk to me,  Steven pleaded.

 

Jim sighed heavily.  “Alright.  Alright.  Have you seen Daisy McBride from school?”

 

“That cute little redhead with the green eyes?”

 

“Yeah, thats her.”

 

“Nope, can’t say I have.”

 

Jim smiled at him slightly.  “Ass.”

 

Steven smiled back.  Happy he’d gotten his brother to relax a little  He was still wound tighter that a string on a top, but he was a little better.   “Yup.  What about her?”

 

“She wants me to go in back of the bleachers with her.”

 

“She does,” Steven asked in surprise.  Daisy McBride had all the boys in school chasing after her.  She turned her pert, little nose up at every one of them.  Figures she’s set her sights on Jim.

 

“Are you gonna go?”

 

“Hell, no.”  Jim ran his free hand over his hair again.  “Thing is she’s started bugging me even more, now that I told her no.  She won’t leave me alone.  Lunch room, classroom, she even followed me to the bathroom one time.”

 

“You could tell her yes,” Steven told him softly.

 

“I could, but I don’t want to.  You do know what she wants right?” 

 

“Yeah, I know.  What, you think I was born yesterday or something?  Dad gave me ‘The Talk’ too.  And quit pulling your hair like that.  It’s gonna make you bald.”

 

Jim’s hand fell away from his hair.  “Okay, sorry.”

 

“Why don’t you wanna go with her?”

 

“I don’t want her.  I want to wait for Blair.”  Jim turned the saddest blue eyes Steven had ever seen toward him.  “It’s a Sentinel thing.  I don’t expect for you to understand.”

 

Steven looked over at Blair who was glaring at Megan.  After all these months he still didn’t like her.

 

“Course I understand.  Blair is your Guide, you love him.  I don’t need to be a Sentinel to see that.”

 

Jim sighed softly, sadly.  “He is my heart, Steven.  Without Blair…”

 

“I know, Jim I know.  If you want to wait for him, then wait.”

 

“What do I do about Daisy?  She’s driving me crazy.”

 

Steven smiled at him.  “Want I should kick her ass?”

 

Jim chuckled softly.  “Would you?”

 

“Hell yeah.  Better yet, let Blair deal with her.” 

 

Suddenly a shriek echoed through the air.  Jim looked up.  “What now?”  Megan was rubbing the side of her forehead. “What happened?”

 

“Blair hit me with a block,” The crying little girl said.

 

Jim looked down at his defiant little Guide.  “Did you hit Megan?”

 

Blair nodded.  “I hit.”  He admitted.

 

“Why?”

 

“She call Sandy.  No like.”

 

Jim knelt in front of Blair.  “I want you to apologize.”

 

“No.”

 

“Blair,” Jim warned.

 

His little Guide arms went across his little chest.  “NO.”

 

“Blair, I’m warning you.  You better apologize.”

 

“No.”

 

Jim had had enough, before he could stop himself he swatted his defiant little Guide’s butt.

 

Blair’s blue eyes widened in shock.  “You hit.”

 

“Yes, I did.  I want you to apologize.  NOW.”

 

Blair continued to look at him, big, blue eyes filling with tears.  “You hit.”

 

Jim sighed unhappily.  When his life sucked, it really sucked.  “I did it because you won’t listen to me.  You have to apologize.  What you did was wrong.”

 

Suddenly before he had a chance to react Blair’s little fist came up and smacked him on the nose.  Hard.  Knocking Jim on his ass.

 

“No hit Blair.  Ever,” He was told angrily.

 

Jim watched stunned as his little Guide went to Rafe, asking to be picked up.  Jim and Rafe had made an uneasy truce, for Blair’s sake.  So Rafe was waiting on the other side of the room for Blair, to play hide and seek when he was done with his play date.

 

Steven reached down to offer Jim a hand up.  “Are you alright?”

 

Jim rubbed at his bloody nose.  “Wow, I never saw that coming.  Good thing he didn’t hit me with his casted hand.”

 

Steven handed his brother a Kleenex.  “Blair’s got quite a punch for a little fellow.  But you know something, big brother?”

 

Jim looked at Steven holding the tissue against his nose.  “What?”

 

“You’re in a world of shit now.”

 

***

 

No truer words had Steven ever spoken.  Blair now refused to look at his Sentinel, speak to him or even acknowledge his very existence.

 

He went to Steven or William for all his needs.  Allowing them to bathe him and cut his food, now that he was mad at his Sentinel.  He was even reading to Simon.  Plus he now shared Steven’s bed.

 

For Blair-Jim did not exist.

 

And it was making Jim crazy.

 

“You could always fake a zone,” Steven told him as he joined Jim by the living room door.

 

“He’ll know,” Jim replied him as he looked over wistfully at his little Guide who was napping with their Dad on the couch.  The Sentinel gently stroking the bandages on his left hand absently.

 

“Well, what can I say?  You should never have swatted him.”

 

“He hit Megan with a block.  He could have seriously hurt her.” 

 

Steven rolled his eyes. “Give me a break it was a plastic block.”

 

“I had to show him what he did wasn’t right.”

 

“Oh, yeah, you showed him alright.  He kicked your ass,” Steven replied sarcastically.

 

“Shut the fuck up.”

 

“Does Blair know you’ve gotten such a gutter mouth?”

 

Jim sighed sadly.  “How could he know?  He’s way over there, napping with Dad.”

 

“Well whose fault is that?”

 

“Shut up.  How am I going to fix it?”  When Steven didn’t answer.  “Well?”  Jim asked impatiently.

 

Steven smiled at him.  “You told me to shut up.”  Jim glared at him.  “Oh, alright.  Know what I think?”

 

Jim straightened up eagerly.  “What?”

 

“I think that Blair’s picking up what you’re feeling.  You need to talk to him.”

 

Jim looked at Steven in horror.  “I can’t talk to him about THAT.  He’s a baby.”

 

Steven shook his head sadly.  “You are such a moron sometimes.  Blair maybe three, but he’s no baby. Like he keeps telling you.  You need to talk to him about what’s going on with you.”

 

Wofie had decided to join Blair and their Dad on the couch.  They watched as he  carefully making his way to lay on top of his little Guide’s back.  Blair didn’t even move.

 

“Okay oh-wise-one, saying I do decide to tell Blair the truth-how the hell am I going to get him to talk to me.  He won’t even look at me.”

 

“Leave that to me.”

 

***

 

That night Steven helped Blair with his bath.  Once he was done he left Blair coloring on the bed, telling him he was going to the kitchen for milk and cookies.   Sending a nervously waiting Jim into the room.

 

“Blair?” 

 

Nothing.

 

“Blair?”

 

Still nothing.

 

“Blair, Baby, please,” Jim pleaded.  He went to kneel by the bed.  Tentatively reaching for a tiny, sock-clad foot.  It  promptly moved away before he could touch it.

 

“It’s been three days, Baby.”

 

Silence.

 

“Would it help if I said I was sorry?”

 

Nothing.  Less than nothing.

 

“Whatcha’ coloring?”

 

No answer.

 

Jim laid his head on the bed right next to Blair’s little foot.  Hoping his little Guide wouldn’t kick him.  He still had a bruise on his nose from before.

 

“I love you, Baby.”

 

Still no answer.

 

“I’m sorry I swatted you.  We should have talked about what you did.  I should never have swatted you.  I’m really, really sorry.”

 

The little foot moved closer to his face.  Jim didn’t think it was to kick the shit out of his nose, at least that’s what he was hoping.  He inched his face closer to it.  Sighing happily when it didn’t move away.

 

“I miss you.”

 

Still nothing, but the little foot moved just that little bit closer.  Jim tickled the sole with his nose.  Smiling when Blair giggled.

 

“I love you, Blair.”

 

“I knows.”

 

“I missed you, very, very much.”  Jim whispered.

 

“I here.”

 

“I know, but you got mad at me. You wouldn’t even look at me.  You were sleeping with Steven.  We haven’t slept apart since you bonded m..me.”  Jim’s breath hitched.  “I…I missed that the most.  I didn’t have my little Guide to cuddle with.”

 

Blair tilted his curly head to one side as he contemplated his Sentinel.  “Cuddle now.”  He offered shyly.

 

Jim didn’t have to be told twice.  He gathered his little Guide to him with a contented murmur.  Burying his nose in Blair’s hair.  “I’m sorry, Baby,” He said softly.

 

“I knows,” Blair told him, little arms wrapping around as much of Jim as the could.

 

“We need to talk.  Steven thinks that you’ve been picking stuff up from me.  Things that I’ve been feeling.  I haven’t said anything before because you’re so little and this is kinda of an adult thing.  I’m not even sure I know how to explain it.”

 

“Try.”

 

“Okay,” Jim told a deep breath.  “I’m getting older and I’m going through some changes.”  Blair touched the fuzz on Jim’s chin.  “Yeah, that’s part of it.” Jim looked around the room trying desperately to figure out how to tell his little Guide something he was extremely embarrassed talking about.

 

“Tell,” His little Guide told him patiently.

 

“Okay.  Well, hmm-I have these feelings it’s kinda like a pain.  I…I don’t want to have them right now because I want to wait for you,” Blair tilted his head as listened.  “You are my heart, Baby.  My life.  I want to share everything with you, but right now your way, way to little,” Jim looked at Blair.  “Am I making any sense, Baby?”

 

Blair nodded.  Yups.”

 

“Well anyway, I want to wait and there’s this girl in school and she keeps pushing me into doing something with her, that I want to wait and share with you. And it’s starting to hurt-a lot.”

 

Blair growled.  “Girl hurt.”

 

“I don’t think she meant to hurt me,” Jim told him hurriedly.  “It’s all part of the changes I’m going through.  It’s just that she’s not making it easier.”

 

“Hurt how?”  Blair asked softly.  “Where?”

 

Jim turned bright red, but he waved his hand vaguely over his groin.  He needed to tell Blair the truth.  There would be no secrets between them.  Secrets only caused more problems.  “It’s not really a hurt it’s more like a really, really bad ache,” He replied, his face flaming a brighter red.

 

“Grown up stuff?”

 

“Yup.  I…I want to wait until you’re a grown up too.  Share that part to, like we share everything else.  I’ll wait however long it takes.  Forever if I have to.”

 

“Even if hurts?”

 

“Even then,” Jim agreed and he would to. Blair continued to contemplated his Sentinel quietly.  “Don’t you believe me?”  Jim asked, uncomfortably.

 

Blair nodded.  “Believe.”

 

“I…Is that okay?” Blair didn’t answer him, just continued to look at him big, blue eyes solemn. “Baby?”  Jim watched as his little Guide reached out a tiny hand and laid it against his abdomen spreading his tiny fingers wide across his belly button.  Whatcha doing, Baby?” Jim asked, looking down at the hand.

 

“I help.”

 

Suddenly Jim gasped, eyes widening in shock as he felt all the overwhelming tension, fear, uncertainty and heartbreak melt away.  Leaving him with a sense of well-being he’d never felt before in his life. Calm, he felt so calm. He’d come close to this feeling when Blair scented him.  This time it was different.  It was more, so much more. He felt his eyes fill with tears when realized what Blair had done. 

 

“I…I’ll be able to wait for you?” he asked, awed beyond belief by his little Guide.  “Oh, God-Blair, I’ll be able to wait for you.”

 

Blair nodded again.  “Jim wait for Blair.”

 

“Oh, Baby, thank you.”

 

“You welcome.” 

 

Jim gathered Blair to him.  “I love you so much, Baby.”

 

“I knows.  I luvs, too.  Berry, berry much.”

 

Jim peppered kisses all over Blair’s face.  “Thank you, thank you, thank you. You don’t know how much this means to me.”

 

 “I knows.”  Blair told him, patting his back gently with his right arm. His casted one resting on Jim’s shoulder

 

Jim cupped Blair’s face gently.  “Steven said you’d understand, but I wasn’t so sure.  I was so afraid.”

 

“I help my Sentinell always.” 

 

Jim kissed Blair’s little nose.  “Even if you’re mad at me?”

 

“Even if Jim makes Blair mads.” Blair touched the bruise on Jim’s nose.  “No need swat.  Talk.”

 

Jim sighed.  “I know and I’m sorry.  I won’t ever do that again.  I promise.”  He looked at his little Guide shyly.  “Will you scent me?  Maybe even bond with me?  Then we can take a nice long nap.  I need to cuddle with you really bad.  We haven’t done it in days.”  Jim added plaintively.

 

Blair offered his arms to his Sentinel who promptly picked him up and carried him to their bed.  Jim sighed happily as his little Guide tilted his head to the side in offer.  He started keening softly as Blair began releasing scent.  He’d missed this so much.  Missed his little Guide.  The keening increased in volume when Blair released the bonding scent as well.

 

Jim began to swaying slightly, that’s when he realized how tired he really was.  He hadn’t slept very well the whole time Blair had been mad at him.  Everything had finally caught up with him.  Blair getting hurt, him-smashing his hand through the glass panel, being mad at Rafe.  The changes his body was going through and all the tension, fear and anxiety it brought with it. 

 

Jim fell against the mattress with a soft sound of pure contentment, holding Blair to him tightly, he closed his eyes.  All the worries gone, all the fear gone, all gone, he thought dazedly as Blair continued to weave his magic. 

 

Worries gone, vanishing as if never having been. Blair had somehow even at three understood and given the most precious gift possible, except for perhaps having chosen him for his very own Sentinel. He’d given him the gift of time.