Title: Time To Heal: It Begins

Author: Angelee

Fandom: The Sentinel

Pairings: Jim/Blair, Steven/Michael, Rafe/Lee (preslash) William/Daniel (slash)

Summary: See title. (o:

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

Time to Heal: It Begins

“Ah-mmm.”

“So how long has he been doing the chanting thing?”

Steven turned to look at Michael. “Two day.”

“Ah.”

“Do you think he’d kill us if we laughed?”

“Oh-yeah.”

Michael smiled as he looked over at the Sentinel unable to sit cross-legged on the ground, sat comfortably on a chair with his leg on a pillow-topped box. Blair sitting in his lap-little enough to sit cross-legged and still with plenty of spare room. Both had their eyes closed, chanting right along with Daniel who sat on the ground directing them.

“It’s kinda cute.”

Steven leaning against a tree, nodded. “Hell, yeah it is.”

“We should probably take a picture of it as black-mail material.”

“Yup.”

Michael turned to Steven. “How you feeling?”

“Good. You?”

“Better. I think everyone is starting to feel better.”

“Yeah. Especially Jim.”

Michael took the unresisting Steven into his arms. “Yeah. He still checks you every couple of hours.”

Steven sighed softly as he wrapped his arms around the body-builder. “Yeah.”

“He could do that from the next state if he wanted. You do know that, right?”

Steven looked over at the still chanting Sentinel. “Yeah, but it’s something he needs and I’m not about to deny him.” Jim opened his eyes and gave him a brilliant smile. “You do know that it’s rude to listen into other people’s conversations, right?” Steven whispered affectionately, knowing the Sentinel would hear. “Close those icy blue eyes of yours and go back to chanting.”

“I love you, Stevie,” Jim mouthed softly.

Steven scoffed. “Tell me something I didn’t already know and I love you, too. Mushy Watchman”

Jim did as he was told, closing his eyes after giving Steven an even bigger smile. It was as if Steven had given him a lifetime of gifts all at once.

Steven shook his had. “Silly, Sentinel.”

“He loves you very much.”

“I know. I love him, too. What you jealous?”

Michael kissed the top of his head. “Na. I could never be jealous of something as special as what the two of you have.”

“I love you, too-Michael.”

“I know.”

Steven ran his hands up and down Michael’s very broad back. “It could get confusing when we get older.”

“Na. Jim and Blair will always come first. They have to and I understand that.”

Steven looked up meeting Michael’s blue/green eyes. “I will always do what I can for you, you know that, right?”

“I know.”

“Will it be enough?”

Michael frowned. “Where is this coming from?”

Steven shrugged. “I don’t know, I’m kinda unsure of myself right now.”

“Well, don’t be. Jim is your brother and will always have a special place in your heart. I understand that.”

“It doesn’t bother you that he’ll always come first?’

Michael smiled at him. “He won’t always come first. There are some things that I will get to do that will be first.”

Steven frowned up at him. “Huh?”

Michael nudged him suggestively. “Yeah. Lots of stuff that I’ll get to ‘do’ first.”

“What the hell are you talking…Oh.” Steven blushed a bright pink making Michael chuckle. “Oh, you are in so much trouble for that. You may not get to be the first till you’re-oh,fifty.”

“But I gotcha but good.”

Steven smiled up at him. “Yup, you did. But are you alright with everything?”

“Yeah, I am.”

“If it was any other person they wouldn’t have stuck around.”

Michael cupped Steven’s face in his hands. “I’m not just any other person,” he replied, gently kissing him.

“I know, oh-god to I ever know,” Steven said, kissing back.

“Do you think you deserve me?”

Steven reached for another kiss. “Hell yeah.”

Michael chuckled. “Oh, so modest too. And yes you deserve me and every other special thing that happens to come your way.”

“And you’re saying about ‘me’ being modest? I think we deserve each other actually.”

Michael gently stroked Steven’s back mindful of the stitches and bruises. “Hmm, yeah I think so too. When do the stitches come out?”

“Tomorrow. And I can hardly wait. They’re itchin’ me something fierce.”

“Oh.”

Steven tilted his head to the side as he contemplated his intended. “Why do you sound disappointed?”

“Because I kinda, well no not kinda, I ‘really’ liked giving you baths. Or more like showers.”

“That’s because you’re the world’s biggest pervert. And me being all young and innocent.”

Michael nuzzled Steven’s nose with his. “Yup. That must be it and you haven’t been young and innocent since you were two.”

Steven nuzzled back, chuckling softly. “Who told you that? Bet it was Jim? You can help me with my shower tonight if you want. There’s nothing like having all my worldly good out for everyone to ogle.”

“You’re what fourteen? You’re worldly goods aren’t all that hot yet. Let’s talk in four or five years.”

Steven pulled back slightly. “Are you insulting my worldly goods?”

“Na, stating a fact. All that worldly they ain’t.”

“You’re so not getting anything till you’re fifty now, insulting an injured person and all. And here I was thinkin’ I’d relent and only make you wait till you were forty-nine.”

“That’s generous.”

Steven nodded. “Yup. That’s me. Generous to a fault.”

Michael lowered his head so he could whisper into Steven’s ear. “Not going to happen I’m telling you right now.”

“Huh?”

“Seventeen.”

Steven frowned in confusion. “Seventeen what?”

“That’s the age you’ll be when we become intimate.”

“Real sure of yourself aren’t you?”

Michael nodded. Sending curls all over his face. “Oh, yeah. Three years from now you will be mine in every sense of the word.”

“And if I say no.”

Michael nuzzled the side of Steven’s face. “You won’t.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“Because you love me as much as I love you.”

Steven moved into Michael’s touch, feeling his breath warmly against his skin. “That I do. Seventeen it is.”

Michael pulled away to give him a small smile. “Really?”

“Yeah. I’ll be all yours when I turn seventeen. Am I going to be wined and dined and everything?”

“Hell, yeah. A week before I’ll flower you too.”

Steven rolled his eyes. “Great,” He said, unenthusiastically, he so loved flowers-not.

“And candied too.”

“Well, that’s better. Make it the good stuff, easy I ain’t.”

Michael began swaying them gently back and forth. “No there isn’t anything easy about you at all.”

“And you don’t mind?”

The swaying stopped. “I really don’t like an unsure Steven. It’s just not right. And no I don’t mind. It makes life interesting and so very rewarding, never knowing what you’re going to come up with next. Or who you’re going to verbally slap around next.”

The swaying started up again. “Physically slapping around to. Jim gettin’ his when I’m feeling better.” Both were still facing the chanting Sentinel and his Guide. They couldn’t miss Jim startle slightly. “What’d I tell you about listenin’ to other people’s conversations, Watchman?”

Jim opened his eyes, making Steven think that his brother’s eyes might be a tad prettier than Blair’s. They were startling blue in the sunlight. Still slightly vulnerable, but the lost look was starting to go away.

“I’m not listening. Well, okay I was,” he relented at the look Steven gave him. “But I can’t help it, I’m a Sentinel and my hearing is always on.”

“Hmm, could it be that you’re still worried about me and checking up to make sure I’m not going to disappear in a puff of smoke?”

Jim gave him a sheepish smile. “Could be.”

“Silly Sentinel. I’m alright, don’t worry so much, you’re going to give yourself ulcers.”

“I can’t help, but worry, you’re my brother and I love you.”

Steven smiled at him. “I love you, too-Watchman.”

“Does that mean you’ll forget about beating me up?”

“Hell, no. I’m holding a serious grudge here.”

Jim gave him a pout. “I thought you said you loved me.”

“I do, but I’m still holding a grudge. I do promise not to hurt you to bad. How’s that?”

Jim frowned. “I’d rather not get beat up at all.”

“To bad,” Steven replied unremorsefully. “You’ve earned it.”

“What about if I promise never to do it again.”

“I’d think it was a promise you cannot keep.”

“I’d pinky swear.”

“Nope.”

“Boy Scout honor?”

“Nope.”

“Please?”

“No. Once the casts come off, your ass is mine.”

Jim gave Steven a look he’d never used before. Wheedling, and coaxing, even bringing out his bottom lip in a pout. “Please?”

“Nope.”

The young Sentinel turned his face slightly, the sunlight catching his eyes just right, temporarily blinding Steven with how beautiful they really were.

“Please?”

“Hmm, maybe,” Steven relented. “You’ve got some really pretty peepers on you, Watchman.”

Jim blinked. “What?”

“You’re eyes are prettier than Blair’s.”

Steven chuckled as he watched a blush start on Jim’s neck working it’s way up to cover his entire face, including his ears.

“Steven, I really wish you’d quit doing that.”

“What-tell you got pretty eyes?”

“Well, yeah. You got this way of throwing me for a loop. I never know what’s going to come out of your mouth.”

Steven smiled at him. “Nobody does. Close those pretty blue eyes of yours and go back to chanting. You need all the help you can get.”

Jim did as Steven said, closing his eyes after giving his brother a scowl. Both Michael and Steven chuckled softly. Watching as Rafe and Lee came up to Jim and Blair. Both with cookies in one hand and a glass of milk in the other.

They looked at them curiously for a moment before placing the cookies and milk on a nearby table. Finally sitting on the ground they nimbly crossed their legs and began chanting right along with Jim, Blair and Daniel.

That kinda looks like fun,” Steven told Michael listening to the in tune chanting.

“Yeah, it does. Wanna try?”

Steven looked at the others regretfully. “I can’t sit cross-legged yet. Hell, I can’t even sit.”

“There’s no reason why you can’t chant on your tummy.”

“Think so?”

Michael tugged him over to where the others sat. “Yup. Come on. I’ll help you lay down.”

Once he got Steven situated, he sat next to his lounger and began to chant right along with the others. After a moment Steven joined right in.

Daniel opened his eyes looking around the group of assembled boys, all with their eyes closed, chanting up a storm and oddly enough in tune. He turned his head toward William, who was quietly watching from the doorway to the cabin and smiled.