Title: Without Walls

Author: Angelee

Fandom: The Sentinel

Rating: Adult

Summary: A Guide comforts his Sentinel.

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

Without Walls

“Hey, Jim-You okay?”

Jim turned startled blue eyes toward Blair. “Yeah, I guess. How’d you find me?”

Blair sat next to Jim, on a grassy slope near the prison where Jim had been working undercover.

“Not hard. You’re my Sentinel. I’m your Guide,” Blair told him quietly as if that would answer it all. They’d been together along time. Understood each other to a level not many would understand. So maybe it did.

They sat silently. Each lost in thought. Blair waiting quietly for his Sentinel to tell him how he was feeling. And he would when he was ready.

“It was hard in there. All the violence. All the hatred. It kinda got to me you know?”

Blair rubbed Jim’s back soothingly. “I know. Sentinels aren’t immune to that either. You are more sensitive to the emotions of other. Perhaps because of that it makes you more repressed when it comes to declaring your own. That’s something to think about later. But I think that your Sentinel senses might make you more acutely sensitive to violence and hatred. Prisons are chock full of that. It hit you dead on and hard. Almost to the point of causing you pain.”

“Yeah, it did hurt. But on a level that went beyond pain. Deeper. It’s hard to explain.”

“You’re doing fine,” Blair told him quietly.

“I hurt, Blair,” Jim said with an odd tremble in his voice. “I hurt all over and in place I didn’t even know could hurt. When I came online and everything was wacky is nothing compared to what I’m feeling right now.”

“I know, babe,” Blair told him. Increasing the gentle caresses of his hands. “Let it go. You’re not in there any more. You’re out here with me and you’re safe. Deep breathes. Nice and easy. Good, again. Again. And one more time.”

Blair smiled when he noticed that Jim’s beautiful blue eyes were closing. The tightness around Jim’s handsome face easing. Slowly, very slowly, but it was easing.

After a few minutes Blair noticed that Jim was purring. Very quietly, but most definitely purring.

“Hey, Jim?”

“What?” Was the sleepy response.

“Do you know you’re purring?”

“Am not,” Jim replied. Opening his eyes to give his Guide a decidedly evil glare.

“Are.”

Jim declined to respond as Blair increased the caresses along his back. Blair chuckled softly when Jim’s eyes closed once again and the purring renewed. With vigor this time.

“Come here, Jim,” Blair told him. Laying back against the soft grass. Jim looked at him for a moment before going into the arms Blair held open for him. “This is only for comfort, Jim. Nothing else. You’ve had a hard few days and I want you to feel better,” Blair said. Renewing the gentle touches to Jim’s back and shoulder.

His Sentinel sighed softly. Burying his face in Blair’s neck. “And if I want more?”

“You can have it.”

Jim moaned softly against his neck. “That feels good.”

“Yeah?”

“Hmm. More?” He asked, almost pleadingly.

“Oh, yeah. What ever you need.”

Blair gentle stroked Jim’s soft hair. Surprised that something so short could be so damn soft. Almost like stroking warm velvet.

“Feeling better?”

“Hmm.”

Blair smiled to himself when one of Jim’s hands went to his shoulder and began kneading it. Wondering if perhaps in another life his Sentinel had been a cat.

They lay that way for a long time. Jim enjoying the comfort being given by a friend. And Blair giving and getting as much from the warm contact as Jim. His Sentinel was one extremely lose and relaxed man. All the stress of the past few days gone. It felt good to be able to do this for his friend.

Blair felt himself becoming protective and even possessive of the man laying quietly in his arms.

“I’m glad you’re letting me do this for you.”

“Hmm.”

“Yup. Will you let me do this for you whenever you need it.”

“Hmm.”

“And when I need it?”

“Hmm-hum.”

“No more walls?”

Jim nuzzled closer. “No more walls.”

“I’m glad. Can I have your truck?”

“Mmm, okay.”

Blair smiled. “Oh, yeah. You are one mellow Sentinel right about now aren’t you?”

“Yup,” Jim replied contently.

“Can I sleep in your big comfy bed?”

“Hmm hum.”

“Can I eat crackers in it and leave crumbs all over the place? So that when you roll around they stick to you and you get all itchy and uncomfortable?”

“Okay. Rub behind my ears. Oh, yeah. Right there. Right there.”

“Okay. Can I leave my socks on the floor?”

“Hmm. No way, your socks stink.”

“Oh, okay. Hmm, can I have a pet? I’ve always wanted a pet.”

Jim moved around slightly, making himself more comfortable. “Hmm, I think we can negotiate on the pet.”

“Cool. I got away with more than I thought I could before. So I’m happy.”

“Hmm.”

“Wanna go home now?”

“Nope. Not just yet. I’m too comfortable to move. Rub my back some more?”

“Okay,” Blair replied. “What kind of pet can we get?”

“Hmm, don‘t know. Whatever you want.”

“Really?”

“Yup.”

“Cool.”

“Yup. Rub my behind my ears some more. I like that.”