Sentinel fic - The Rival, part 2

[dimity_blue]

Part 1.

Leaving the truck, Sandburg expected the detective to drive away immediately, but he didn't. Shrugging a little to himself, and refusing to expend any energy on working out why the guy was sticking around, he headed into the warehouse and glanced around. At least his stuff was still there.

Moving further into the warehouse, he went to shut the door behind him and stepped back hurriedly at the sight of the tall, thin man waiting behind the door.

"Uh...look, man, I don't have anything of value, but take what you want and get out."

"I intend to, Guide." The unknown Sentinel's tone was husky, his eyes as hungry as Alex's had ever been. One hand slammed the door shut as the other reached out towards Blair's face.

Blair backed off out of reach, his stomach churning. He'd just escaped from one Sentinel, he was damned if he was going to submit to another one. "I'm not interested, man, okay? There are plenty of Guides available in the Guide programme, why don't you go ask one of them?"

The hand was still stretching out eagerly as the Sentinel advanced. "I'm not asking anyone, Gui -"

It was fortunate for him that he'd moved forward, otherwise he would have got the door in his face as Ellison threw it open.

Blair continued to retreat. Great, now he had two Sentinels to deal with.

"Becker. What are you doing here?" Ellison slammed the door behind him and faced the other Sentinel, his body language screaming a warning that Blair could hear very clearly.

Becker paused, and his gaze left Blair to turn towards the other Sentinel before it finally dropped submissively. "My apologies, Senior Sentinel Prime. I thought the Guide -"

"You thought wrong." Ellison's tone was harsh, a growl rumbling underneath the words. "He is claimed."

Blair swore silently. This was what he'd been afraid of. He wasn't even working with Ellison and here the guy was, verbally claiming him. And God alone knew what he'd do once this Sentinel had given in and gone away.

"M-my apologies, Senior Sentinel Prime." Becker's head drooped lower, his eyes staring at the floor.

"Get out."

"Yes, Senior Sentinel Prime."

The door closed behind him and Ellison's gaze turned to Blair. "Come here, Guide."

Blair continued to back up, his hands held up as he tried to placate the Sentinel. "Look, Jim, it's not that I don't appreci -" He hurriedly backed up again as Ellison stalked towards him, only stopping when his legs hit a crate. "Uh...Ellison!"

One hand grabbed his wrist and yanked him forward, while the other arm curved around his waist and held him tightly. "Stand still, Guide." Lowering his head, he scented Blair's neck loudly and growled, "My Guide, mine."

Trapped in position, every muscle straining to back away but getting nowhere fast, Sandburg waited for what felt like an eternity, wondering if Ellison's next move was going to be to pin him to the floor. Finally glancing up, he realised that the detective was listening to someone or something just as Ellison's arm relaxed and he was allowed to step away.

"He's gone." The Sentinel's gaze met his, and Blair was surprised to see a grin appear on his face. "Relax, Sandburg, I wasn't after your body, or your mind. Becker could hear us. I was just making sure that he got the message."

"Oh." Blair tried to calm his racing heart. "I - I think he got the message."

"If he didn't, he'll come back," Ellison told him, his gaze moving over the warehouse. "Do you have anywhere else you can stay?"

"My office at Rainier," Blair offered.

The detective shook his head. "He'll have got those details from the P.D. computer system along with your address. What about family, can you stay with them?"

"Last I heard, my Mom was in Mexico and I don't have any other family." Blair shrugged. "I'll crash at a friend's. It's not a problem."

"Grab whatever you need, Chief. I'll drop you off."

Blair's fingers reached for his cell phone before he remembered that Alex had smashed it. "I need to find a phone first. It's not a problem, honestly, I'll be fine."

"Here." Ellison shoved his cell phone into Blair's hand. "Let me know when you're ready to go."

~'~

"Edwards, David." Ellison took a seat by the Sentinel's bedside and looked at the badly bruised Guide. "How's the concussion?"

The shy eyes glanced up then slid away. "Fine. Neds will be discharged in a couple of days, then we can go home."

Edwards growled. "He should never have been there in the first place, Ellison."

"I know. But you know she insisted on meeting both of you." Ellison restrained a sigh. If he was bonded, would he be this protective of a Guide? For a second, the memory of Becker at the warehouse and his angry response to the situation flickered through his mind, but he shrugged it off. He'd just been protecting Sandburg as a police detective, not as a Sentinel, that was all.

"I know!" Edwards glanced over at his Guide. "If that kid hadn't been there, she might have shot David before you got up to the hotel room."

Ellison's eyes snapped up to meet Edwards' gaze straight on. There was no accusation in them, or in the tone he'd used, and his momentary anger dissipated. What was Edwards up to? "Yeah, I know."

"He kept his head. Kept Barnes talking, kept her away from David."

Jim smiled slightly. It looked as though Sandburg had acquired a friend. "He did good."

"So what happens to him now?"

Edwards' tone was casual in the extreme but Jim's thumbs pricked as he caught the hastily hidden smile on David's face. "Nothing, I'd assume. He's gone back to the university."

"Oh? Is he working there?"

"You know he is, Edwards. He said so."

"Oh. I thought maybe things had changed."

"Things don't change that much in two weeks, Edwards. It's not like he's been out of the loop for a decade or two." Jim decided to put an end to the game. "He doesn't want to bond. I don't want to bond. So whatever thoughts are in your head, just forget about them."

Edwards' gaze was steady, but there was a smile at the back of his eyes. "Yes, Senior Sentinel Prime."

Jim frowned and the smile vanished.

"Ellison?"

"I gave the kid a lift home yesterday. Becker was waiting for him."

"Becker? He's not bonded."

"No, he had plans though."

"I thought you said that the kid didn't want -"

"He doesn't."

Edwards frowned, a look of concern on his face. "Was the kid hurt?"

"No. I heard Becker's heartbeat in the warehouse and stuck around for a few minutes to make sure there was no trouble. I persuaded Sentinel Becker to look elsewhere."

"Jim, if you're not going to claim him, then, technically, he's up for grabs."

The annoyance on Ellison's face deepened. "He's not up for grabs at all, technically or otherwise."

"Says who?"

The face tightened into near fury, the tone harsh. "The Senior Sentinel Prime of Cascade and the Northern Territories, that's who."

There was no challenge from the Sentinel opposite him. "Then, Senior Sentinel Prime, you should tell the Clan."

Ellison stood and stalked to the door. "I intend to." He opened the door then stopped, his back rigid. Turning back, he gave a half smile. "Hope you're both feeling better soon." Then he was gone.

~'~

Edwards listened as Ellison made his way down the corridor, then nodded to David once he was sure they could speak freely without the Senior Sentinel Prime hearing them.

David smiled. "I wonder what Blair's like, well...under normal circumstances."

The Sentinel grinned in reply. "Why don't we go and meet him properly once we're out of here? I'd like to thank him for distracting Barnes for us and we might as well get to know him." After all, given Ellison's attitude towards the Guide now, it was only a matter of time before that slight protective stance turned into a possessive attitude and a determination to protect the Guide, his Guide, no matter what. Edwards shook his head as he considered the Sentinel's attitude towards bonding. While some Sentinels did treat their Guides with a near contempt that was painful to witness, any Sentinel with any sense, he cringed at his unintentional pun, knew better. Without a Guide, a Sentinel was faced with crumbling control over his senses, and even the possibility of madness if the sensory overload became too much for him. That was without even mentioning the risk of death during a zone-out. Ellison's stubbornness was legendary among the Clan, and Edwards would not be the only Sentinel to be relieved that there was now a crack in that attitude. Glancing at his own Guide, Edwards smiled. Maybe all Ellison had needed was to meet the Guide destined to be his; he knew that he hadn't struggled against fate once he'd found David.

"Yeah." David shrugged. "It looks like he's going to be joining the Clan at some point."

Edwards dragged his attention back to the conversation in hand. "As soon as Ellison stops being stubborn."

"And as soon as Blair decides that he does want to bond," the tone was half-chiding.

"Oh. That too, of course."

~'~

Finding a friend to stay with temporarily hadn't presented anything of a problem to Blair. All too often, late night discussions ended with the impromptu discussees spending the night crashing on couches, floors or in baths, before waking up in the morning and rushing off to wherever they were supposed to be. Therefore, it followed that his circle of friends were used to having extra bodies lying around the place. Finding a place to stay for longer, however, would present a bit more of a problem.

The main stumbling block was money. As he'd guessed, his summer classes had all been reassigned and unless he wanted to go and appeal to Chancellor Edwards' humanity (and the rumour was that she didn't have any), Blair had been stuck with finding himself a different kind of job. Fortunately, there was one advantage to having been on his own since he was sixteen - job experience. Less than a week after his release from Barnes' 'employ', Blair was working in a bar. It would not have been his first choice, or his second, or (if he was honest), his third, fourth or fifth, however the better jobs had all been taken by other students and staff who were at a loose end over the long vacation, and it appeared that none of them had wanted this job.

Okay, so the bar was in one of the seediest parts of town, and brutal fights were commonplace, but it was a job and it meant he was getting paid. And, as the smoky atmosphere in the place was thicker than pea soup, they didn't get a lot of Sentinels in there. After his recent experiences, he considered that to be a definite plus.

Pouring a pint for one of the more reputable regulars, a prostitute known as Leaky Peg, (don't ask), Blair smiled at the woman. "Good night, Peg?"

"Not too bad, lover." Peg gave him a practised leer. She wasn't coming onto him; she'd been in the game so long that she automatically leered at any man in her vicinity. "You off home when the bar shuts?"

"Yeah. I'm meeting up with some old friends in the morning."

"Old friends are good, lover." Peg briefly raised her glass in a salute. "You be careful going home though, there's trouble on the way."

Blair frowned as he took a quick glance around the bar. "What kind of trouble?"

"The usual." Peg slurped her beer noisily.

"What's the usual?" Blair leaned over the bar slightly, avoiding the large beer stains as best he could.

"Oh, you know." Peg's eyes narrowed suddenly. "No, you don't know, do you? You've such a friendly face that I forget you've only been here a few days, lover." She patted the friendly face gently as Blair smiled at her. "Old Robson's in town. He turns up every few months or so. This is, was, his local, so he likes coming down for a look around."

"And that means trouble?"

"Ooh, it does for them that put him inside!" Peg cackled with glee. "Just don't get in his way, lover, and you'll be fine. He doesn't bother them that doesn't bother him."

"Oh, okay." Blair picked up her empty glass intending to refill it, but she stopped him.

"I'm off now, lover. Gotta go work my trade. You just be careful goin' home, hear me?"

"Yes, Peg. I hear you."

It was an hour later that the trouble Peg referred to arrived. Blair looked up automatically as the path from the door to the bar cleared, and a huge red-haired man came stalking up to the bar. A hand on his shoulder made him jump, and he looked around to see his boss, pale-faced and sweating, standing behind him.

"I'll serve Mr. Robson, Blair. You go work at the end of the bar."

Blair nodded. He'd never had much luck seeing people's auras, but he didn't need to to know that Leaky Peg was right and that Mr. Robson was trouble with a capital 'T'. He made his way down the bar to the other end and started chatting to two very quiet working girls who were standing there, their fingers strained around the stems of their glasses.

Robson's voice carried clearly, the tone in it just on this side of hostile. "Who's the kid, Stan?"

"New barman, that's all, Mr. Robson. Harry, you remember Harry, don't you, Mr. Robson?" Blair saw him wait for the slight nod, although Robson continued to stare in his direction, as if fascinated by the new barman. "Well, Harry got himself killed the other week. After all the years working here, and he goes in a car crash. Ironic that, isn't it?" He gave a nervous smile, flashing his cigarette-stained teeth for a second.

There was another slight nod, then the dark eyes turned away. Blair relaxed slightly and turned to fully face the girls in front of him. Apparently he'd been judged as not important, and that suited him just fine.

The last hour of his shift dragged tormentingly as the party atmosphere of the bar was infused with the fear of all the regulars, and the lurking menace of the not-so-regular. Blair's stomach started to churn. The fear that flooded their minds was battering at his barriers, demanding an acknowledgement and seeking to seep into his mind. With every beer that he pulled, every drink that he poured, the fear seemed to build. He was finding it hard to breathe by the time the clock hand reached twelve and he was free to go. With relief, he followed Stan into the back room and hurriedly slipped his wages into his sneakers. While it was a fairly obvious hiding place, it meant that no one could pick his pocket for his wages, and there were too many sneak thieves around for anyone's comfort.

Stepping outside the front door, Blair inhaled the clean air with gratitude before moving quickly away from the open doorway where all that fear and horror lurked. Glancing around to make sure that no one was waiting for him, he set off down the road, keeping a sharp look out as he went. While trouble might be hard to avoid, seeing it coming would give him an edge he couldn't afford to lose.

Reaching a more respectable, and well-lit, neighbourhood, he paused to look around again. All the way down the road there had been an itch between his shoulder blades that told him that someone was watching him, but the impression he'd been picking up was one of protectiveness, not violence. Shrugging his shoulders, he attempted to dislodge the itch, then quickly walked on. However, the itch didn't fade until he was safely at a friend's house with the door locked between him and whoever had been following him.

~'~

Blair stretched, enjoying the feel of soft leaves beneath him and the soft breeze above him that lifted the humid air and made it bearable. His eyes flew open and he grinned as he realised that he was having a dream. It had to be a dream - he didn't normally have four paws. Standing up on his four legs, he stretched again, working out the kinks in his limbs and hoping that he wouldn't have any trouble running on all fours. It'd be pretty embarrassing to go falling over his own feet. He gave a mental shrug and dismissed his worries. This was his dream after all, and if he wanted to go falling over then he would.

He turned as he felt an unfamiliar motion behind him. 'I've got a tail!' He was delighted with his new acquisition and swished it back and forth a few times. 'So this is why dogs wag their tails all the time!' Trotting back and forth a bit to get the hang of this four-legged walking, he continued to wave his tail around, then decided to give trotting a go. Pleased with himself for managing to trot, he sped up a bit more and was soon racing across the jungle floor, his tail still waving and his tongue hanging out.

His ears pricked forward as he heard water running and he swerved to follow the sound, only stopping when he came to a pool that was fed by the river he'd heard. Cautiously approaching, not sure of what he was going to see, he looked into the pool. He recognised the blue eyes that were staring back at him, he'd seen them every time he looked into a mirror, but the grey furry face, large nose and big ears that greeted him were totally different. 'I'm a wolf!' He grinned, watching as his tongue lolled out. 'This is so cool!'

The sounds of another animal approaching caught his attention and he sat up, watching and waiting. A thin leopard appeared on the other side of the pool and Blair felt a trickle of apprehension run down his spine. He didn't know who that was but he didn't like the look of him.

Blair backed away from the pool then turned and fled. It wouldn't take long for the leopard to work his way around the pool, large though it had been, and Blair didn't want to be waiting for him when he made it to this side. He could tell from the sounds behind him that the leopard was following and stepped up his pace. The fact that this was a dream had been forgotten, all he knew was that he had to avoid the leopard.

Crashing into a clearing, he skidded to a halt as a large blue-eyed panther appeared in front of him. He almost howled with panic as the panther leapt, but the large cat passed him by and ran to take care of the approaching leopard. Spinning on the spot, Blair watched for a few seconds as the two cats fought it out, then, deciding that discretion was the better part of valour even in a dream, he made a quiet retreat.

Obviously his retreat wasn't quiet enough as he hadn't gone ten feet from the clearing before a heavy weight brought him down. Rolling onto his back, he tried to fight his way free, but the large black panther had the advantage of weight and position and he was trapped. He screamed with terror as the jaws descended towards his throat, then found himself on the sitting room floor, caught between the couch and the coffee table.

Running a hand over his face, he lay back for a second and tried to slow his breathing and calm his frantically beating heart. "It was a dream," he gasped, needing to hear the words out loud, "it was just a dream."

~'~

"Blair?"

Lost in thought, and not really with it after a night of disturbed sleep and vivid dreams, Blair glanced up then almost jumped back as he recognised the shy-faced young man facing him. Even if he hadn't remembered the features, the large bruise marring one side of the man's face would have reminded him. "Uh...it's...David, isn't it?"

"I wasn't sure you'd remember me."

Blair gave a half-laugh that contained very little humour. "How could I forget?"

"I just came by to say thanks. You...you saved our lives."

He opened his mouth to give some off hand 'no problem' kind of reply then stopped. "You saved mine too. I don't know how long it would have taken me to escape and now...I don't need to worry about her coming after me again."

He got a smile and a blush as David said, deprecatingly, "I think you'll find it was Sentinel Ellison who saved your life." There was a pause then David gestured towards the empty seat at the table. "Mind if I...?"

"Oh, of course!" Blair jumped up. "Would you like a coffee or something?"

"It's okay, I'll get them. Mocha...latte...?"

Blair sat down again and tried to relax. "Actually, a chamomile tea would be good, thanks." Watching David's back as the young man retreated to the counter, he took a deep breath. He didn't know why the Guide had turned up, he was hoping it wasn't to try and persuade him that bonding was the best thing that could ever happen to an empath - he'd heard all those arguments before. Well, if the guy did start in on the great Guide talk he could just make his excuses and leave.

David looked as nervous as Blair felt when he returned, tray in hand. Blair hurriedly moved some heavy books so David could put the tray down, and then they sat back and looked at each other, then spoke at the same time.

"I...."

"Neds...."

They stopped, looked at each other again, then smiled. "Sorry," they said in unison.

"You first." Blair considered it was the least he could do seeing as David had paid for the drinks.

"Neds wanted to come down and say thanks too, but he's still in the hospital and they won't let him out yet."

"I'm surprised he let you out, after what happened, I mean."

"Neds doesn't own me." David shook his head, smiling. "He would have preferred me to keep within his sight, but he knows that Alex Barnes is dead and he knew that I-I wanted to come and talk to you, say thanks."

"Oh. Uh...how is he?"

"He'll be fine. He can be released in a couple of days, which'll be better because he's like a bear with a sore head right now." David took a sip of coffee and added, "He hates hospitals."

"Who doesn't?!" Blair relaxed slightly. The conversation still felt awkward, but it wasn't as bad as he'd thought it would be. "How's your face?"

"It's fine. It'll be better once the bruising has gone down. Every time Neds sees it, he starts feeling protective."

"Well, that's Sentinels for you. Most of them, anyway." Blair's eyes dropped to his cup. The last couple of Sentinels, well, not counting Ellison, he'd got up close and personal with had definitely not been protective at all.

"Yeah." David took another gulp of his coffee and added, "She was an absolute psycho."

Blair grinned. "I'll drink to that."

~'~

When Blair returned to the pub, he was surprised to find everything the same. From Leaky Peg's attitude, he'd expected at least one of the regulars to be missing, but they were all there, their life-hardened eyes scanning the area as if looking for the innocence they had lost a long time ago.

The evening went by much as normal, with no appearance from Mr. Robson to frighten the local drinkers. Blair was relieved. The normal party atmosphere, with its hint of desperation for happiness that underlay it in that awful bar, was enough for him. And tonight, the desperation was lessened, almost as if the regulars had been reminded that they did have a few things to grateful for - Mr. Robson's absence being one of them.

Blair's journey home was identical to the one he'd made the night before, down to the irritating itch that would not leave him be. However, one thing had changed: whoever was following him tonight was not alone. Unlocking his friend's front door, Blair took a chance and dropped his barriers slightly. His eyes snapped open in horror and he hurriedly slammed the front door behind him, making sure to lock it securely. His followers tonight had been a Sentinel and Guide.

~'~

The jungle was blue and taller than he expected for some strange reason that he couldn't quite figure out, but the Sentinel knew why he was there. His Guide was running from him, running from the bond. Growling deep in his throat with the pleasure of the hunt, he tracked him. His keen nose allowed him to follow the scent easily, while his sharp eyesight picked out the wolf's paw prints in the dark brown earth.

Leaping across a fallen tree, he spotted his quarry in the distance. He quickened his pace, his heart joyful as his paws pounded against the earth and he raced towards the spirit guide. His growl changed as he saw the thin leopard that was approaching the Guide. The wolf seemed frightened for a few seconds but it finally turned away from the leopard with a contemptuous growl.

Quickening his pace as the leopard lunged towards the wolf, he flung himself into the fight with pleasure. The Guide would be his, no one else's! The leopard retreated, his head hanging low as the panther asserted his superiority, even as the wolf fled from the fight. Following quickly, the panther leapt and brought the wolf down, pinning him beneath heavy paws. The wolf bucked and fought as his howl of fear rent the air. He was not trying to hurt the panther, merely seeking to escape, but escape was denied him.

Refusing to be thrown back by the wolf's struggles, the panther settled himself down, holding the wolf in place with his weight. Another fearful howl sounded, and the panther began to lick the wolf, seeking to reassure him that harm would not come to him. Finally, the wolf quietened. Growling with pleasure, the panther dipped his head and bit the wolf's neck firmly, pushing forward with his mind as he did so. The Guide's mental barriers crumpled beneath the attack, and the Sentinel's mind flowed into that of his Guide. He roared with triumph as he felt the warmth of a lifelong bond. The Guide was his.

His eyes flew open. Shaking the disturbing images from him, Jim turned and punched his pillow into a more comfortable shape. Ever since he'd protected Sandburg from Becker's attempt to force a bond, he'd been plagued with dreams of jungles, wolves and panthers. Frequently, there was a thin leopard skulking around, seeking to reach the wolf by any means possible, but in each dream he'd felt the pleasure of possessing his Guide's mind, joining with him telepathically and knowing that he would never be alone again.

"If you're not going to claim him, then, technically, he's up for grabs."

Edwards' words came back to haunt him. Resisting the urge to growl at the thought of Sandburg being 'up for grabs' at all, he turned on his side and shut his eyes resolutely. What the hell was it to him if Becker bonded with the kid? He should have driven away and let Sandburg deal with Becker alone. Turning onto his other side, he admitted that he couldn't have done that. He'd had no way of knowing who was waiting for Sandburg in the warehouse, and even if he had known that it was Becker, the kid had stated that he had no intention of bonding. His duty as Senior Sentinel Prime meant that he could not allow one of his Clan to bond with his unwilling Guide.

His eyes flew open. 'Sandburg's not my Guide at all.' This was infuriating. How long was he going to be thinking about that scruffy kid? And what the hell did the kid think he was doing working in a place like Stan's bar? When he'd been on stakeout, following Robson to make sure there was no trouble, and then he'd seen Sandburg leaving obviously having finished a shift there, he'd nearly exploded. Sandburg had been lucky he'd merely followed him home as opposed to leaping on him and shaking some sense into the little idiot. He'd been lucky that he hadn't been the only one on stakeout that night, or he would have been forced to leave Robson unwatched while he made sure the kid got home safely.

And he was no fool. He'd noticed the raised eyebrows and exchanged glances when he asked Lisa Pais and her Guide, Karl, to watch Sandburg for him last night; he would have preferred to do it himself, but he was still detailed to follow Robson. The whole Clan was convinced that he'd be bonding with Sandburg at some point, regardless of the kid's views on the issue.

That was it, he'd had enough. Robson had gone back to his own stomping ground, which meant he was the responsibility of another precinct and, now that Robson had gone, Jim was off night duty and back on day duty. Tomorrow he was going to see the Clan and tell them that Sandburg was not his responsibility. The kid could take care of himself. Although if Becker made another move on the kid he was going to knock the Sentinel's teeth down his throat.

~'~

"Hell!" Jim growled to himself as he slammed one hand down on the alarm and threw his bedclothes back with the other. He'd just spent yet another night dreaming of wolves, panthers and blue jungles and, to be quite honest, he was getting sick of it.

Okay, so he hadn't called off the Clan's protection on Sandburg; for some reason, it hadn't felt right to leave the Guide without any back up at all. But if these dreams kept up, he was going to be forced to bond with the kid to save his sanity.

Stalking downstairs, he stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door behind him. He'd had enough. Becker could have the Guide; what the hell did he care anyway?

~'~

"Hey David."

"Blair! I wasn't expecting to see you here." The Guide put his pencil down, he'd been passing the time until his afternoon art class by sketching a few people, and smiled at his fellow empath.

"I uh...was hoping I'd find you here."

David noticed the way Blair's eyes checked out the room, as if he was worried about seeing someone else there. "What's up?"

"Can we go somewhere and talk?"

"Sure." He gathered up his drawing materials and put them away carefully before following Blair out to a nearby bench. Once they were seated, he waited for Blair to start speaking but it was obvious that Blair didn't know where to start with whatever was upsetting him.

"What's wrong?"

Blair's mouth opened then closed, then opened again and he finally spoke up. "I'm being followed."

David looked blank. Whatever he had expected that had not been it. "What do you mean, followed? Who by?"

"That's what I want to know." Blair looked relieved now that he'd found a starting point. "The other night I was in work...I work at a bar down near Bellevue, and when I left I was followed home by someone. All this week, it's been the same. Sometimes it's a Sentinel and sometimes it's a Sentinel and Guide. That's why I came to you - I'm hoping you know something I don't."

David kept his face perfectly blank although his mind was racing. If he had to guess, he'd say that Sentinel Ellison was providing protection for his Guide but he really didn't think that Blair wanted to hear that. Meeting Blair's eyes, he realised that he'd been silent slightly too long. He sighed and came clean. "It must be Sentinel Ellison."

Blair didn't look surprised at that but he reminded him, "There was a Guide there too sometimes."

There was a pause then David told him, "If he's applied to the Clan to have you protected...if he's busy, it'll be another Sentinel, a Bonded Sentinel who'll...look after you."

"Why would he apply to have me protected? I'm not his Guide! I'm nothing to do with him!"

Haltingly, David explained, "He was kind of putting out the word that you weren't to be approached for bonding."

There was silence as Blair seemed to think this over then, indignantly, "He's put dibs on me?!"

"No, no! He said he has no intention of bonding, he just didn't want you being approached. After Sentinel Becker was at the warehouse and everything!" David could have kicked himself at the look on Blair's face.

"He told you about that? No, wait...he told your Sentinel about that."

Slowly, David nodded, cringing at Blair's reaction.

"I don't believe this! Where the hell does he get off having me watched?"

"It's for your own protection! If Sentinel Becker -"

"I don't give a damn about Sentinel Becker. Jim has no right to interfere in my life at all!" From the look on Blair's face he was furious. "And I'm going to tell him so!"

David groaned to himself as Blair stalked off across the lawn. He guessed that hadn't gone well. Reaching for his cell phone he phoned Neds. Fortunately for both of them, Neds was back at work, although he was still on desk duty, so he would be able to reach Sentinel Ellison without too much trouble.

~'~

By the time Blair reached the Cascade P.D., he had calmed down somewhat, although he was still determined to put one pushy Sentinel right. He'd told Jim that he had no intention of bonding with him and couldn't work with him so, so far as he was concerned, that meant that Sentinel Ellison had no right to be involved in his life whatsoever. And putting him under the protection of the Clan was an involvement - in a major way. It was only Guides who were bonded to Clan members, or would be bonded to Clan members, who were protected by the Clan. Although, naturally, Sentinels had an inbuilt instinct to protect any Guide. Well, except for Alex. Her inbuilt instinct seemed to be to beat any Guide, but that was neither here nor there right now.

Getting in to see Detective Ellison was far easier than Blair had anticipated too. He told the desk sergeant who he was, showed some ID and was waved through to the elevator as the sergeant phoned up to the Major Crime department. Blair didn't want to think about the ramifications of Jim having put him on any 'acceptable visitors' list, he was still too steaming about the whole 'Clan protection' issue.

Stalking into Major Crime, Blair spotted the errant and annoying Sentinel in question and stormed over to his desk, his anger rising again. For once his pacifist soul was thoroughly roused into justifiable anger and he intended to blast Jim as best he could. Naturally, the almost non-stop dreams of jungles, a blue-eyed panther and a thin leopard he'd been bombarded with had nothing to do with the feeling of being hunted that was driving him mad. It was just Jim and his over-protective, interfering attitude that had him annoyed. Reaching the desk where the aforementioned over-protective, interfering Senior Sentinel Prime was sitting, he was forestalled.

"Let's take this somewhere private."

Fuming, Blair followed the detective into the same room that he'd sat in after his release from Alex Barnes' imprisonment, only this time there didn't seem to be any silent watcher behind the two-way mirror. He shut the door behind them then launched into his complaint. "What the hell did you think you were doing putting me under Clan protection?"

Jim didn't seem phased in the slightest. "Having you protected. What did you think I was doing?"

"What does my protection have to do with you? You're not my Sentinel, you're not going to be my Sentinel - I'm not going to bond, remember?" He ignored the memory of the warmth of that alluring bond that had filled his dream the night before. "So what's with the protect the Guide crap?" He saw from the flash of anger in the Sentinel's eyes that he'd hit a nerve and took a step backwards as the Sentinel approached to loom over him.

"Sentinels protect Guides, Sandburg. I don't know what kind of Sentinels you're used to, but that's what we do. And it doesn't matter who the Guide in question is. Got it?"

"You don't have the right to protect me! You don't have the right to have anything to do with me, and sending some of your Sentinel friends to follow me home from work is just downright interference!"

There was a growl in the Sentinel's voice as he replied, "Right has nothing to do with it. You're a Guide, you will be protected. I put you under the protection of the Clan and until I say otherwise you'll stay under it!"

"You can't do that!" For a second Blair thought his heart was going to stop beating as the Sentinel grabbed the back of his neck and yanked him forward. Jim's face was just inches from his, and from the flaring of the Sentinel's nostrils he was being scented.

The voice was quiet, the tone, soft, but the threat was implicit. "I'm the Senior Sentinel Prime, Sandburg, I can do whatever I want." His neck was released and Jim stepped back. "Keep that in mind next time you try to pick a fight with me."

Refusing to be cowed, Blair kept his gaze fixed on Jim's face, although his voice was calmer, more reasonable. "Call your Clan off."

"No."

"You can't have me followed!"

"As I said, I'm the Senior Sentinel Prime. I can do whatever I want." The Sentinel's hand circled the front of Blair's throat and Blair felt his thumb stroke over the quickly beating pulse. "You'd do well to remember that, Guide." Then his hand dropped and he left.

Blair shuddered. For a second then he thought he'd pushed the Sentinel too far after all. Taking a deep breath, he thanked his lucky stars that Jim had managed to keep his control. Rubbing one hand over his throat to eradicate the feeling of the Sentinel's hand, he left the room and headed towards the elevator. Maybe if he got another job, a daytime job, Jim would call off his Sentinel guards. Maybe it was just working near the docks late at night that was pushing all of the Sentinel's 'protect the Guide' buttons. Then again, no matter what he did, that wouldn't settle the issue of Sentinel Becker. If Sentinel Ellison were protecting him, his teeth ground together at the thought, because of Becker, there was nothing he could do until one or both of the Sentinels lost interest or was bonded to another Guide.

Pressing the button to call the elevator, Blair stiffened as the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Swinging around, his gaze met that of Sentinel Becker. The Sentinel was staring at him, the hungry need that had been so visible in the warehouse still there in his eyes. Abandoning the elevator, Blair headed for the stairs. There was no way he was going to risk being caught in an elevator with Becker.

"Sandburg!"

Blair stopped and met the Sentinel's gaze with his head held high. Damned Sentinels were forever trying to intimidate people and he refused to give in to it.

"I can stop Sentinel Ellison from bothering you." Becker's voice held a coaxing tone, as if hoping that offering his protection would persuade Blair to bond with him.

Blair shook his head and snorted a half-laugh. "Sorry, man. The price is too high."

Becker lunged and grabbed his arm before he could make it into the stairwell. "He'll never leave you alone. Putting you under Clan protection shows that he intends to have you, sooner or later. He already considers you to be his."

Caught on the raw, Blair retorted sharply, "So you're challenging Jim for his Guide? Do you have a death wish or what, man?"

The shock on Becker's face brought home to Blair just what he'd said. "So you do want to bond with him!"

"No!"

"I'd leave him alone if I were you, Becker." Jim's taunting voice got both of their attentions. "Looks like he's already made his choice."

The hand gripping his arm released him, and Blair took his chance to stumble into the stairwell as Becker turned to face the Senior Sentinel Prime. Before the door swung shut, he saw Becker's face, white as a sheet as he stared at the stronger Sentinel. He'd been caught twice trying to approach someone under the Senior Sentinel Prime's personal protection; the next few minutes were not going to be pleasant for Sentinel Becker, and Blair was determined to get the hell away before either Sentinel could turn their attentions back to him.

Scrambling down the stairs as quickly as he could, it wasn't until he was almost to the third floor that he heard a door slam open and a bellowed, "Sandburg!" fill the stairwell. His breath catching in his throat, Blair quickened his pace, abandoning safety for speed. Jumping the last few steps, he grabbed the door and yanked it open, almost falling into reception. Dodging around the surprised police, Blair threw himself at the front doors and out onto the stone steps. He wasn't sure if Jim was going to give chase or not but he knew that the Sentinel in him would be sorely tempted to chase his fleeing prey even if he didn't want to hunt the Guide. Hopefully, if he could get far enough away from the Sentinel, Jim would calm down enough to remember that he really didn't want to bond, no matter what his Sentinel side was screaming.

Racing along the pavement, Blair saw a cab further down the road and headed straight for it. He was nowhere near close enough when he heard the crash of a door from behind him. Glancing back, his eyes met Jim's as the Sentinel stood at the top of the steps, and he flinched. He could see why James Ellison was the Senior Sentinel Prime of Cascade - the Sentinel's face was filled with a fury and a determination that was frightening to behold, and he knew that had he been a Sentinel, he would have acknowledged Jim's superiority rather than risk facing him in an arena. Wrenching his gaze away, the Guide rushed towards the cab. He was running out of time.

Startled exclamations, from people unfortunate enough to be between the pursuing Sentinel and the fleeing Guide, told Blair that Jim was gaining on him. Reaching the cab, he yanked open the door and threw himself inside, ignoring the indignant spluttering from someone who had obviously considered the cab his.

The uninterested cab driver, blatantly used to manic passengers who fought over his not-very-pristine seat, hit the meter. "Where to, bud?"

"Grant Street! Drive!" The squeal of brakes as the cab driver swung his way into the opposite lane without bothering to indicate was bliss and Blair slumped back against the seat. Over the sounds of the engine and the yelling of indignant drivers who objected to the cab driver's lack of road sense, Blair was sure he could hear the roar of fury that erupted from the Sentinel's throat at the sight of his Guide escaping, but he hoped that was his mind playing tricks.

Blair sighed with relief as the cab pulled up outside his temporary residence. He'd kept a sharp eye out on the drive back from the station but he hadn't noticed any irate Sentinel driving a truck. Hopefully, Jim had calmed down. Either that or the Sentinel had been killed trying to race for his truck in order to give chase. At the moment, Blair wasn't sure he cared which scenario was more likely, as long as he could stop running long enough to catch his breath. How the hell had things gone so wrong so quickly? All he'd wanted to do when he went to see Jim was persuade him to back off and leave him alone. Instead he'd managed to push the Sentinel's buttons in all the wrong ways. Added to that, the showdown with Becker with the weaker Sentinel offering his protection, it was no wonder the Senior Sentinel Prime had gone a little ballistic.

Paying off the cab and dragging his emotionally-drained body out of the car, Blair paused to consider that. Was it possible to go a 'little ballistic'? Or was it like being pregnant? You either were or you weren't. Shaking the thought from him, he slid the front door key into the lock and opened the door. It looked like no one was in and he was glad of it. He needed time to process everything that had happened.

He froze as he saw the ticking clock in the hall. He didn't have time - he was due at the bar in twenty minutes. Cursing to himself, he swung around and headed back towards the front door. If he'd been able to think clearly he would have told the cab driver to take him straight to the bar; at least he would have been early, now he'd be lucky if he wasn't late. Biting his lip as he neared the door he wondered if he should call in sick. If the Sentinel was still determined to bond, being in a place where Jim could find him was a very bad idea. Of course, that meant that he wouldn't be able to stay in either as Jim knew where he was staying. Making up his mind, he opened the door. If he were going out, he might as well get paid for being out and hopefully there'd be enough people in the bar to slow Jim down if he did turn up.

His eyes widened with shock as he realised that he wasn't going to get the chance to reach the bar; the Senior Sentinel Prime was standing on the doorstep. He took a hurried step back and tried to slam the door but one large hand shoved it back open as the Sentinel moved forward.

The door slammed shut as Blair backed up the hall, his breath catching in his throat. Thinking back, he realised later that the worst part had been the silence. If Jim had just spoken he would not have felt so afraid, but the Sentinel approached silently, determination to possess written all over his face.

Another step and Blair broke free of the mesmerising fear that was keeping him facing the Sentinel. He turned and fled towards the kitchen, hoping to reach the back door and get away, but determined Sentinels move fast when the Guides they want are attempting to escape, and the hand that grasped his collar brought Blair to a standstill. He struggled to get out of his jacket, but the hand that was firmly holding his collar had grabbed all the layers it could reach, and while he could wriggle forwards out of his jacket and shirt, his T-shirt was another matter.

As he was pulled backwards, he jerked his elbow back aiming for Jim's ribs but his aim was off and his elbow hit nothing. Instead, the Sentinel grabbed the elbow and used it to swing Blair around so that his back was against the wall. With the wall behind him and the intent Sentinel in front of him, the Guide had nowhere to go. His other arm swung up and he braced it between the two of them trying to hold the Sentinel off even as he fought to reason with him.

"Jim! You don't want to bond - remember? You said so yourself!"

He could see the Sentinel's nostrils flaring as he was scented, then realised that his fear was also being broadcast loud and clear when one hand left the front of his jacket and began to stroke his arm. Any calming effect was negated when the Sentinel leaned in closer but as he made no further move and he finally began to speak, albeit only to make shushing sounds to calm him, Blair's heart rate began to return to normal.

"Jim, c'mon, man, you know you don't want to bond with me." Blair's voice was still shaky, but considering the day he'd had, he was proud of the fact that he was talking and not screaming incoherently.

There was still no reply from the Sentinel, just the shushing and the soothing strokes up and down his arm.

Finally, tiredly, the Guide let his head drop forward to rest against the Sentinel's shoulder. "Jim, please...." His voice trailed off. He was tired of being chased, tired of running from Sentinels, tired of worrying that he'd end up running into a bigger, stronger Sentinel who would be able to overcome his barriers and bond with him against his will.

"Let it go, Chief, just let go." The voice was quiet, the words whispered into his hair and finally he obeyed.

As he dropped his barriers, he was gathered into a close hug, the Sentinel's arms tightening possessively around the Guide. Blair stiffened in fear as Jim nudged his head back, leaving his throat exposed and vulnerable. He stared up at the light-fitting in the hall, oddly distracted by the dust on the light bulb, even as his mind was reaching out to blend with Jim's, then he slammed his eyes shut as his Sentinel bit into his throat. Unable to stop himself, he gave a cry of pain. Jim's arms tightened around him as the pain subsided, pleasure took its place, and their minds flowed together.

Part 3.