New
Arrivals
Author-Vision
Titles
Collision
by Vision
Summary: Fear and lies threaten Jim and Blair's relationship. Will Blair discover the "truth" before it's too late? Sequel to Wreckage.
Disclaimer: Jim, Blair, Simon and Joel do not belong to me. They are the property of Pet Fly and Paramount. I don't make any money etc. etc. Vision sends Becky a big thank you for all of her work. Dedicated to the CT gang.
Blair watched as Jim bounced across the bullpen. A smile crept onto his face as he watched the detective retrieve his coat from the back of his chair. Bounce? Jim Ellison, bounce? Blair shook his head in disbelief. Jim had never "bounced" in the entire time Blair had known him. Stalked, charged -- those were more the terms Blair would have used to describe his partner. But something had changed....
Jim gave Blair a hearty thump on the back. "Let's go, partner. I'm starving. I got to pick up Sean in less than an hour."
Blair neatly stacked the rest of the paperwork beside the computer. "I'm coming. I'm coming. Just give me a minute."
Jim reached in his pocket for the truck keys and accidentally dropped them on the floor. The two men grasped the key ring at the same time. Blair pulled away from the icy touch of Jim's hands.
"Whoa! Your hands are freezing! Are you okay?"
Jim smiled and jingled the keys in his hand. "Cold hands, warm heart. I'm fine. Come on."
Blair watched as Jim crossed the bullpen towards the elevator. He retrieved his own coat and rushed to catch up with him.
~~~~~~~
Blair stared at his watch for the second time in five minutes. The sound of a key turning in the lock made him glance towards the door. Jim entered the loft and hung up his coat.
"Hey, Chief. How's the paper coming?"
Blair closed his laptop and stretched. "Slow. Did you guys have fun?"
Jim tossed his keys towards the basket and missed. "Great. That kid has one hell of a jump shot." Jim picked up the keys and laid them in the basket.
Blair gave him a puzzled look. "You sure you're okay? That's the second time you've dropped those keys today."
Jim sat down at the table beside Blair. "One hundred percent. I've never felt like this before. It's crazy."
Blair shifted in his chair. "Crazy, how?"
Jim shrugged his shoulders. "The things the kid's going through. The Sentinel stuff. It's all so clear to me
now."
Blair smiled. "You mean you don't feel so alone any more."
Jim nodded. "Exactly."
Blair smiled and stifled a yawn. "I'm gonna hit the sack. I've got an early day tomorrow."
Jim stood up and patted Blair's shoulder. "Me too. Goodnight, Chief."
Blair watched Jim disappear up the stairs -- the icy imprint of Jim's hand still embedded in his shoulder.
***************
Jim scrawled his name on the bottom of the letter and sighed deeply. Lies, nothing but lies. The past month had been a roller coaster ride of deceit. Convincing Blair that everything was "one hundred percent" had been no easy task. Ignoring the onslaught of pain a conscious effort. And now it was over. Well, almost over. Jim leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes. Blair was safe. The lies had all been worth it.
The instant that Sean Preston had entered his life he knew that something was just not right. Blair had immediately latched on to the kid and made it his personal crusade to lead him in the right direction. Jim had followed along with equal fervor in order to prevent suspicion. An arduous task that had left Jim weak and vulnerable. There was definitely more to this kid then met the eye. But what? Jim had mulled that question over and over in his mind for weeks. The kid seemed nice enough. Polite, well mannered, helpful, even a tad interesting. So why did he feel this way? That was the nagging question that plagued his mind. It was better this way. It was better to lie to Blair than to force him to play this "game" of his. Besides, Blair was the type who wore his emotions on his sleeve. Not an ounce of deception in him. Jim smiled to himself as he thought of how "freaked" Blair would be if he knew to what extent Jim would go to protect him. When Sean looked into Blair's eyes he would see nothing but honesty, innocence, and sincerity. Those attributes could very well save Blair's life. Who knew what Sean was capable of detecting: a nervous twitch, a skipped heartbeat, a tremor in a voice. Too risky! Way too risky.
The knot in Jim's stomach tightened as he re-read the letter.
~~~~
Dear Blair:
By the time you get this letter I will be gone. I can't take the chance that you might get hurt again. I know I haven't been totally honest with you and I'm sorry about that. I need to discover the "truth" about Sean on my own. I can't risk your safety.
Jim
~~~~
Jim folded the paper and stuffed it into the top drawer of his dresser. He descended the stairs and walked into the living room. Blair's laptop lay open on the table. Jim muttered to himself.
"I have to keep you home this weekend, Chief. Sorry."
Jim turned on the computer and began deleting Blair's term paper. Having completed his task, he turned off the computer and quietly voiced his concerns to the air.
"Can't have you following me this time, Chief. Not this time."
Jim stared at his shaking hands and felt a familiar shiver run down his spine....
***************
Blair slammed his fist down on the table. "JIM!!! JIM!!!!"
The coffee mug fell from Jim's hands and shattered on the floor. "Sandburg! What the hell is the matter with you?"
Jim retrieved a rag and started cleaning up the mess. Blair bent down beside him. "I'm sorry. It's my term paper. It's gone. I don't get it. One minute it was there the next minute..."
Jim focused his eyes on the floor and began picking up the pieces of broken glass. "Maybe you just filed it somewhere. I'm sure you'll find it." Jim felt Blair's eyes burning a hole in his head.
"No, Jim. It's gone."
Jim gave Blair a quick sideways glance. "Don't look at me, Chief."
Blair glanced down at Jim's hands just as a shard of glass slipped between Jim's fingers. Jim continued picking up the broken glass oblivious to the pool of blood flowing from his hand. Blair grabbed Jim's arm and dragged him over to the sink. "Oh my god! You're bleeding!" Blair turned on the cold water and forced Jim's hand under the tap. Jim felt his stomach heave as the bloody water trickled down the sink. Blair grabbed a clean dishcloth and wrapped it around Jim's hand.
"You didn't even flinch. What's going on, Jim?"
Jim pulled away from Blair's grasp and tried to hide his shaking hands. "There's nothing going on! I dropped a mug. I cut myself. Big deal!"
Blair shook his head. "Don't give me that crap. You're shaking like a leaf. Look at you!"
Jim took a deep breath and softened his voice. "Look, Chief. I'm just a little stressed that's all. A few days in the woods, fresh air, a fishing rod, and I'll be back to my old self again."
Blair moved to within inches of Jim's face. "There's something you're not telling me."
Jim's heart skipped a beat. "Honest, Blair. I wouldn't lie to you."
Their eyes locked and Jim forced himself to stand his ground. Blair finally looked away. "You better get cleaned up. Sean will be here in an hour."
As if on cue, there was a knock on the door. Jim clenched his hands together as Blair answered the door.
"Sean! Hey man! How's it going? You're early." Blair playfully grabbed Sean in a headlock.
"Save me, Jim."
Jim smiled and moved towards the door. "Sentinel rule number one. Never argue with the Guide."
Blair released Sean and helped him drag his luggage into the loft. Sean glanced at Jim's bound hand. "What happened?"
Jim chuckled. "I argued with the Guide."
Blair gestured Sean towards the living room. "Sit down. You want a drink?"
Sean took a seat on the couch. "No thanks. Are you guys about ready to go? I told my sister we'd meet her at the cabin by eight."
Blair sat down beside Sean.
"I'm afraid I'm gonna have to pass on this one. At least until tomorrow night anyway. My term paper seems to have deleted itself."
Sean frowned. "That's too bad."
Jim retrieved his gear from his bedroom and piled it next to Sean's. "I'll just be a minute." Jim walked towards the bathroom and quietly closed the door behind him. He stared at his pale reflection in the mirror and splashed warm water on his face. The droplets of water practically froze in their path. Jim closed his eyes and tried to steady the palpating of his heart. With shaking hands he proceeded to tend to the cut. A slow stream of blood still oozed from the cut. Jim felt the urge to squeeze the blood from his body. To erase all traces of Sean Preston. To be alone again....
A knock on the door startled him back to reality. "Hey, Jim. You okay?"
Jim quickly wrapped his hand in gauze. "Fine, Chief. Just a scratch. I'll be right out." Jim composed himself and nonchalantly walked back out to the living room. Sean and Blair stood by the door laden down with gear. Jim took a step towards the stairs. "I got to stop and mail a letter on the way."
Sean rolled his eyes. "Can't it wait. My sister's gonna kill me if we're late."
Blair threw Jim his jacket. "Where is it? I'll mail it for you."
Jim took a moment before answering. "It's okay. I'll be home in a few days, right? It can wait."
Blair and Sean exited the loft. Jim took a final glance towards his bedroom. Blair's letter lay safely tucked away in his drawer....
***************
Blair slammed the door behind him, muttering to himself as he shrugged off his coat. "Stupid. Stupid. Hunk of junk." Blair took a deep breath. "Okay. Calm down, Sandburg. Think. Where did Jim say they were going? This is just great. Car won't start and I have no flipping idea where they're headed. A cabin. What cabin? Where?" Blair glanced around the loft, panic swelling in his chest. "There's got to be something here somewhere."
He began frantically searching the loft. Papers, books, notes were strewn everywhere. Blair bolted up the stairs and began tearing apart Jim's room. He dumped the drawers on the bed and rifled through their contents. A crumpled piece of paper caught his eye. He opened it and felt his heart sink deeper in his chest. The nightmare was true....
Blair paced nervously as he dialed the number. It seemed like hours before a female voice picked up the line.
"Hello?"
"Mrs. Preston. It's Blair Sandburg. I need to get a hold of Jim and Sean. Do you have a number where they can be reached? Jim's cell phone doesn't seem to be working."
Mrs. Preston hesitated. "I'm sorry, Blair. There's no phone up at the cabin. Alex doesn't believe in having one up there. I've told her time and time again how dangerous that is."
Blair could barely make his mouth form the word. "Alex?"
"Yes. Sean's sister. Alex. Alex Barnes."
The receiver slipped from Blair's hands and crashed to the floor....
***************
Ice-covered thoughts skidded through his mind. Frozen visions freezing his sanity.
~~~~~~~
Sean jumped out of the truck and began unloading their gear. Jim momentarily rested his head on the steering wheel and tried desperately to control the hypothermia that raged through his body. The feeling was stronger now, all encompassing. Dread, fear, pain.... Sean's voice punctured the ice.
"Hey, Jim. Come on. I want you to meet my sister."
Swallowing hard, Jim forced his voice to answer. "Be right there."
A low growl sounded behind him. He glanced in the rearview mirror and caught a glimpse of a spotted jaguar running towards the forest. He opened the door to the truck and walked around to the back of the vehicle. Using his enhanced vision he followed the animal to a steep embankment. The animal growled and leapt off the edge....
A solid object connected with his head, and the world went dark....
~~~~~~~
Dragging his eyes open, Jim focused on the hazy outline of Blair's face.
"Jim! Jim! It's okay. Just lay still."
Hesitantly he reached his hand to touch Blair's face. The image morphed before his eyes. The spotted jaguar gripped his arm tearing at his flesh. Jim wrestled the beast and threw it to the ground. The animal whimpered and lay motionless at his feet. Staggering to a nearby river, Jim bathed his arm in the cool water. Jim stared at his reflection. A young panther appeared behind him. Losing his balance, Jim tumbled into the cool water. Unable to control his movements, he sank deeper into the watery grave. Protective arms encircled him and dragged him gasping to the surface. Sean dragged him to the shore.
"Jim!"
Voices and images collided. The wolf howled, the panther playfully tugged at his pant leg. Jim squeezed his eyes shut and covered his ears.
"NO! NO!"
~~~~~~~
Alex smiled to herself as she tossed the empty syringe aside.
"Sweet dreams, Jim. In death we will be one."
***************
Sean covered his eyes with his hands. How could this have happened? Tears of anger and anguish streamed down his face. How could he have been so stupid?
Alex had listened intently to the stories surrounding he and Jim's relationship. She had exulted in his passion to learn and embody what Blair and Jim could teach him. Toying with his emotions in an attempt to further her own understanding of Jim's abilities. Ultimately using him as the bait in her sinister plan.
Stretching his legs out in front of him, he surveyed his options. Barred windows, locked door, no escape. The sound of Jim's drug-induced pleas filling his ears. Even if he could escape from the confines of the room, there was no escape from the guilt that plagued his mind.
Animal spirits and human forms morphing in his head. Unreality and reality suspended in his memory. Reality or illusion, fate or control. Naive to the importance of the visions, he had neglected to share them with his mentor. Shrugging off Blair's mystical connections as folklore and fantasy. A decision that very well could cost Jim his life....
~~~~~~~
Blair shifted nervously in his seat. "Can't this thing go any faster?"
Simon glanced at Blair's pale face. "I'm driving as fast I can, Sandburg."
Blair shook his head. "I can't believe I could have been so stupid. I totally ignored the visions. Too damn caught up in this Sentinel crap. Oh god, Simon. What if she killed him already? I can't live with that." He clenched his fist and pounded it against his leg.
Simon reached over and dropped his hand on top of Blair's. Giving his hand a reassuring squeeze, Simon dropped his voice to a gentler tone. "I think you'd know it if she had, don't you."
Closing his eyes, Blair took a deep breath. "He's in trouble, Simon. I can feel it. He's not in control anymore. It's like he's...."
Simon bit his lip. "Like he's what?"
Blair's voice shook as he spoke. "Like he's trying to kill himself...."
***************
Sean heard the sound of the approaching vehicles and ran to the window. Alex fled the cabin into the woods. Moments later, two cars screeched to a halt. Simon, Blair and two uniformed officers exited their cars. Guns drawn, they surrounded the cabin. Simon's voice filled the air.
"Cascade PD! Come out with your hands up!"
Sean pounded on the locked door. "I'm in here, Blair! Get me out!"
Forcing the door open, Blair and a uniformed officer entered the room. Rage-filled arms grabbed his shirt collar and pinned him against the wall.
"Where is he? Tell me where he is!"
Sean stared into Blair's wild eyes. "He's in the next room. Alex drugged him. She's gone. She must have heard you coming. I'm sorry. I...I don't know what she gave him. Honest."
Blair released Sean and bolted towards the next room. Hesitating in the doorway, his heart sank at the sight before him. Jim lay motionless, arms and legs bound in heavy restraints. Simon stood beside Jim checking for vital signs. Blair closed his eyes and bowed his head.
"Is he dead?"
Simon withdrew his hand from Jim's throat. "He's alive. I called an ambulance."
Simon removed a knife from his pocket and began cutting away the restraints. Moving in beside Jim, Blair brushed a hand over his forehead. Hazy blue eyes slid open.
"Jim! Jim! It's Blair. Oh god. We're gonna get you out of here. It's okay. Just relax."
Suddenly Jim's eyes sprang open. In a fit of terror, Jim fought against the presumed attackers. Blair hit the ground hard. Focusing on the shiny, metal object in Simon's hands, Jim pounced on the man, gaining possession of the weapon. Staggering towards the door, Jim's hands came up to his head.
"No! Make it stop! Make it stop!"
Blair regained his footing and slowly moved forward. "Give me the knife, Jim. Come on, buddy. Give me the knife."
Shaking his head frantically, Jim stabbed the knife into his own arm. "Get it out of me! Get it out!" Blood gushed from the open wound as Jim withdrew the knife. Tears flooded from his eyes, his voice a choked sob. "Leave me alone!"
Blair hands shook as he inched closer to Jim's side. Steadying his voice, he reached for the knife. "Let me help you, Jim."
Patterns of light danced along the blade. Jim turned the knife over and over in his hand, watching the shimmering light display reflecting along its edge. Sean's face appeared in the reflection. Jim screamed in agony. "No! No!"
Blindly Jim swung the knife in all directions. Simon gripped Blair's arm and pulled him safely out of harm's way. Writhing in pain, the Sentinel stumbled towards the door, escaping into the woods.
All control lost, Blair's voice trailed after him....
"Jim! Jim!"
***************
Invisible arms beckoned him towards the cliff. A magnetic force pulling him towards the edge. Balancing between life and death, one step away from oblivion....
Jim closed his eyes as he felt a hand slip into his own. A blizzard of pain ravaged his body. Alex's frigid voice numbed his soul.
"Together Jim. We'll be together. In death we will be one."
Simon, Blair, and Sean burst through the underbrush. Opening his eyes, Jim released Alex's hand. Panting heavily, Blair took a step towards him.
"Don't do this, Jim. Get away from her. It's not Sean that's controlling you -- it's Alex. Please, Jim. Trust me."
Pulling a gun from her pocket, Alex aimed it at Blair. "Shut up! Put your hands up all of you."
Alex moved towards the trio and frisked them for weapons. Removing Simon's gun from his holster, Alex proceeded to walk backwards towards Jim.
A sudden burst of pain tore through Jim's head. Confusion, love, hate. trust, fear, truth and lies. A tangled web of conflicting emotions. Sean's voice filtered through the darkness.
"Let him go, Alex. He saved my life. Please. Don't do this." Reaching out his hand, Sean moved towards his sister. "This isn't right. Can't you see that? This isn't the way to the 'truth'."
A warm blanket descended on Jim's sanity. The dark cloud of uncertainty lifted revealing the healing warmth of the sun...
Jim lunged towards Alex, fighting for possession of the weapons. Rolling towards the edge of the cliff, the earth crumbled beneath them. Blair darted towards the edge and gripped Jim's injured arm. Dangling from Jim's leg, Alex squirmed and twisted in rage.
"Let him go! He's mine!"
Sean and Simon desperately tried to grip Jim's shirt. Weakening from the struggle, Jim's eyes drifted closed. Blair screamed in horror. "Jim! Hold on! Damn you. Don't you die!"
Sean flattened himself against the rocks and fully extended his body over the edge. Lowering his hand towards Jim, he whispered in Jim's ear. "Trust me."
Re-opening his eyes Jim stared at his reflection. Sentinel and Sentinel, united by blood. With his last ounce of strength, Jim flung his free hand towards the mirror....
***************
Warmth. Glowing embers of acceptance igniting his heart. Dancing flames of serenity heating his mind...
Opening his eyes, Jim rolled his head towards the sun. Blair's smiling face greeted him. "Welcome back. How you doing?"
Wincing at the pain in his arm, Jim tried to sit up. "Where am I?"
Blair chuckled. "Hospital, Jim. Do you remember anything?"
Glancing around the room, Jim shook his head. "I...I don't know. It's all kind of hazy."
Nodding Blair squeezed his hand. "You were drugged. Some kind of hallucinogen. They're still trying to figure out exactly what it was. Some altered designer drug. Strong stuff. They're still trying to figure out how you managed to stand, let alone walk."
Glancing at his injured arm, Jim felt his stomach tighten. "Sean. I remember Sean. Is he okay?"
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Blair cleared his throat. "He's fine. The question is how are we?"
Jim locked eyes with Blair. "I guess we need to talk."
Blair rolled his eyes. "That's an understatement. You lied to me, Jim. You didn't even give me a chance. Do you have any idea how that makes me feel?"
Sighing, Jim turned his face away from Blair. "I'm sorry, Blair. I just...I just didn't want to see you get hurt".
Bolting off the bed, Blair began pacing in front of him. "That's crap, Jim. Say it. I want to hear you say it."
Tears burned in Jim's eyes. "I can't."
Moving within inches of Jim's face, Blair clenched his teeth together. "You were scared. Scared of what you felt. Scared of Sean. Good god. You were willing to kill yourself to get rid of his blood from inside you. Were you scared of me, too?"
Jim wiped the tears from his eyes. "No! Maybe. Why are you doing this?"
Softening his voice, Blair closed his eyes. "We can't move forward, Jim. Not until we settle this."
Jim bit his lip. "I was scared of losing you. Scared you might leave."
A moment of silence passed between them. Blair reached for Jim's hand. "Because of Sean? I'd never leave you. How could you even think that?"
Jim swallowed hard before he spoke. "I have no right to keep you here. Lord knows what kind of sensory stuff that kid might be capable of . Maybe he's better."
Smiling, Blair ran a hand through his hair. "Better? Better than you? I don't believe this. You think I'd leave you just because Sean might have more potential as a Sentinel? That's crazy! I'm here because I want to be, not because of some stupid thesis. I'm here because I'm your friend."
Jim covered his face with his hands. "I'm sorry."
Gently removing Jim's hands from his face, Blair pulled him into his arms. "You're stuck with me, Jim. Get used to it."
***************
Whispering into the phone, Blair glanced towards Jim's bedroom.
"Don't worry, Simon. I got it covered. He still thinks he deleted my term paper. You won't see him for at least a week. He'll be so busy researching 'tribal sub cultures' he won't have time to think about work. I'll talk to you later." Blair hung up the phone just as Jim's voice resounded in his ears.
"SANDBURG! What the hell happened up here?"
Bounding up the stairs, Blair hesitated at the top. A broad grin covered his face.
"Nice boxers, Jim. Isn't that..."
Pushing his finger into Blair's chest, Jim raised his eyebrows. "You got a problem with Scooby Doo, Sandburg. It was a gift from my niece. Of course, I wouldn't have to wear them if somebody hadn't trashed my room."
Suppressing his laughter, Blair began helping him restock his dresser. "Did you see Sean?"
Jim cleared a spot on the bed and sat down. "Yeah, Chief. He's sorry he missed you. He said he'd be home for Christmas. Maybe even spring break. I'm gonna miss the kid."
Blair smiled. "Me too. Any word on Alex?"
Jim shook his head. "They've got her locked up in some psychiatric ward somewhere. I'm not really interested, if you know what I mean."
Tossing Jim a clean shirt, Blair grinned. "Get dressed, Shaggy. You've got a term paper to write."
Jim raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "What? I can't write a term paper. I wouldn't know where to start."
Sighing, Blair moved towards the stairs. "Simon says he wants a copy on his desk by Monday. In triplicate."
Blair ducked as a rather large item was tossed towards his head. "SANDBURG!"
THE END