Sentinel fic - The Wrong Guide, part 2
Part 1.
"Jim, it's your father here. Could you find some time to come by my office? I need to talk to you."
Jim frowned at the answering machine. When William Ellison wanted to talk to you, it generally meant that he intended laying down the law about something. At the moment, there was only one bone of contention between them and he was currently unpacking his backpack. Carefully deleting the message so that his Guide wouldn't hear it, Jim moved into the kitchen and put the kettle on to boil. Sandburg was intending to return to Rainier University in the morning so he would go and see his father then. He had no intention of exposing Sandburg to his father's wrath or educating him about his father's Machiavellian nature. And if William Ellison thought that he could intimidate or manipulate the Senior Sentinel Prime into giving up his Guide, he was much mistaken.
~'~
Like the previous Monday morning, Blair felt that this Monday morning was filled with promise. Instead of the usual rain, Cascade was bathed in a gentle sunshine that warmed without being too hot. Blair turned his face up to bathe it in the sun for a minute before he followed Jim to the truck. Smiling to himself, he watched his Sentinel unlock the truck's doors. Knowing that Jim had had no intention of bonding with Gerry had removed the last of Blair's reservations about their bonding and he felt truly happy.
"You going to stand there all day, Sandburg?"
Jim's voice yanked him back to reality.
"Just enjoying the sunshine, man." He got into the truck and put on his seatbelt, a smile still playing about his features.
"Make the most of it, Chief. The weather forecast is for rain this afternoon."
Blair continued to smile. It wasn't only the sunshine that had him in a good mood but he wasn't about to tell Jim that. He noticed the glances Jim was giving him and smiled even more.
"You on happy pills or something, Chief?"
"No, Jim, just happy."
He won an answering smile at that before Jim continued, "I'll be back to pick you up for lunch. Don't forget."
"I won't forget. I don't have any classes this afternoon and I should be able to pick up my notes after my last class."
Jim nodded and the rest of the journey was spent in a companionable silence.
They reached the university in plenty of time for Blair's first class and he hopped down from the truck happily. "See you at twelve!" He stopped at Jim's sudden scowl. "What's up?"
"Westward."
Blair glanced over his shoulder. "Hey, Gerry!" Ignoring his Sentinel's displeasure, he greeted his friend cheerfully.
"Hi, Blair. Sentinel Ellison."
"You okay?"
Gerry's gaze finally met Blair's and he leaned in to talk to his friend confidentially. "Look, I know my dad created hell with Sentinel Ellison's dad...I just wanted you to know that I - I," he started stammering as Jim got out of the truck and made his way around the front of it, "I didn't...I mean..." He took a step back as Jim stepped between him and Blair. "I told him I didn't bond with Sentinel Ellison but I tried to tell him that I changed my mind too! I don't know what he said to Mr. Ellison but, seriously, Blair, I had nothing to do with it!"
"It's okay, Gerry! I'm sure everything will calm down." Blair put a soothing hand on his Sentinel's arm.
"Well...I'm not sure. Dad insisted that I leave Guide School." His gaze flickered up to meet Jim's then fell again. "He uh...wasn't happy. I don't really mind, I mean...I realised that I'm not cut out to be a Guide."
"That sounds like a sensible decision." Jim's voice wasn't quite as icy as before.
"Yeah, well, I guess things worked out for the best then, huh? I only came in this morning in the hope of catching you." He looked at Blair then glanced around as a very expensive limousine approached. "Gotta go, my ride's here. Take care of yourself, Blair."
"You too, Gerry."
"Sentinel Ellison."
"Bye, Gerry."
The pair remained silent as Gerry got into the limousine and left. Finally, Blair spoke. "I guess his dad really is angry then."
"Why do you say that, Chief?"
"Well, pulling Gerry out of Guide School like that."
"Gerry wasn't meant to be a Guide, that's all there is to it."
Blair looked doubtful but didn't bother arguing. He knew that Jim still thought badly of Gerry, in spite of how well things had worked out for them.
"Will you be okay?"
He looked up in surprise to find Jim's eyes assessing him shrewdly. "Sure, man, I'll be fine. I am gonna be late though!"
"Okay, Chief. Phone me if you have a problem."
"Sure, Jim. I'll see you later."
~'~
Having left Blair to head into the main building at Rainier, Jim drove across the city to his father's office. He would far sooner get this interview out of the way before going to see his friends in Major Crime. He intended to take his Guide into the bullpen after lunch so that he could meet the men and women he'd be working with part-time. If Jim was honest with himself, he didn't really want his Guide working with him. The situations he got into could be dangerous and putting his Guide in danger was something the Sentinel was extremely unhappy with. But, he was a detective and his job was important to him. Deciding that he'd simply have to make sure that his Guide was protected at all times, Jim put the worry from him and concentrated on driving. The sooner he saw his father, the better.
As he had expected, his father kept him waiting. It was an old trick of his that used to unsettle Jim when he was a child. However, he was now a grown man, an ex-Ranger, a police detective and the Senior Sentinel Prime of Cascade, so he recognised the trick and refused to react to it. Perhaps his father realised that, as Jim was only kept waiting a few minutes instead of the fifteen or more that he'd expected.
~'~
"Jim! It's so good to see you!" William Ellison made sure that his greeting sounded warm, even though he was furious at having been kept waiting a whole week to see his son. Hadn't he understood how urgent his message was? "I expected to see you last week though - you weren't ill, I hope?"
Jim answered calmly, apparently unaware of his faux pas. "No, Dad, I went out of town with Blair. I didn't get back until yesterday."
"Oh, of course. Your bonding week." William returned to his side of the desk and moved a few files around, making sure that Blair Sandburg's file was on the top. "How did it go?"
Jim smiled. "It was great."
"That's good, Jim." William managed to keep his anger out of his voice, surprising himself with how calm he sounded. Why on earth was Jim looking so happy about spending a week with that worthless hanger on?
"So, what did you want to see me about?"
"Oh, well..." William paused, rather taken aback by Jim's impatience. However, it was time to make his son face up to the mistake he'd made, so he might as well get on with it. "I had a little checking done on your Guide." Even William couldn't miss the fury that settled on the Sentinel's face. "Now, don't look at me like that, Jim, it was for your own good."
"My own good? You checked up on my Guide because he isn't the perfect Guide you picked out for me, that's all there is to it!" To William's shock, he leaned over the desk, his presence threatening. "Leave my Guide alone."
"Jim!" The tycoon could not believe that his own son was acting this way towards him.
"My Guide, mine. No one else's!" Jim practically growled the words.
Dimly, William realised that the Sentinel was detecting a threat to his bond and reacting accordingly. Hastily, he sought to recover his position. He needed to calm the Sentinel down if he were to get Jim to see sense. "Now, Jim, I have no intention of taking your Guide from you. He's your Guide, no one else's. I just wanted to make sure that he isn't some gold digger after you for your money."
"I don't care what he is! He's my Guide! I bonded with him, he didn't choose to bond with me!"
William was indignant. Considering how Blair Sandburg started in life, he would have thought that the boy would have leapt at the chance to bond with William Ellison's son and heir. "And why not?! You're James Ellison, you're my son! And you're the Senior Sentinel Prime of Cascade. Isn't all that good enough for the upstart?"
"Upstart?" Jim's voice went ominously quiet as he demanded, "Who the hell are you to judge my Guide?"
William ignored the Sentinel's fury this time and returned to his earlier argument. Obviously Sandburg had been cleverer than he'd thought and it was even more important that Jim listen to him. "That Guide as you call him is the misbegotten son of a hippie! He has no father. And he's a pauper, Jim! If you think that he didn't plan to trap you into bonding with him, you're a bigger fool than I thought you!" For a second he believed the Sentinel was about to attack him and he almost gibbered with fear, but instead he was nearly dragged across his desk as he found himself almost nose to nose with his irate son.
"If you ever make another accusation about Blair or make any attempt to harm him, I'll declare a Vendetta on you."
He was thrust back into his chair and gasped for breath as he tried to reach his son. "Jim, I only -"
"Stay away from my Guide."
The door slammed shut behind the Sentinel, and William was left alone.
~'~
Furious and feeling totally unsettled, the Sentinel drove straight back to Rainier University. He needed to see his Guide, he needed to see for himself that his Guide was his. As he drove, he damned William Ellison to all the corners of Hell. Who did he think he was to go checking up on his Guide? Sandburg was good enough, more than good enough, for the Sentinel and that was all that mattered. He was his Guide and any threat to their bond would be removed.
Jim pulled back at that thought. While the Sentinel would be quite happy to tear William Ellison into shreds and jump up and down on the remains all the while roaring out his fury, James Ellison had no intention of hurting his father. Well, not physically, anyway. If his father persisted in this ridiculous notion that Jim's Guide wasn't good enough for his son and heir, then he wouldn't see his son (and probably ex-heir) any more, it was as simple as that.
~'~
"Mr. Sandburg!"
Blair looked up from where he was scribbling notes to see Dean Edward's secretary standing by the door of the lecture hall. The professor, interrupted mid-sentence by the icy tones of the lady in question, looked at Blair, as did all the students present.
"Yes?" Blair had a sinking feeling in his stomach that had nothing to do with Jim's unhealthy choices for breakfast food.
"Dean Edwards wants to see you. Now." To make her point clear, the secretary held open the door and waited, obviously impatiently.
Blair gathered up his stuff hurriedly, dread filling him. This didn't look good to him. He paused to smile and shrug his apologies to the professor and got an encouraging smile in return.
"Come see me later, Blair. You can borrow my notes to find out what you missed."
"Thanks, Professor Stoddard." In spite of his favourite tutor's support, Blair still felt sick with apprehension as he followed the secretary out of the hall and through the main building to the Guide School.
Taking a breath to calm himself, Blair knocked at the door to Dean Edward's office.
"Come in."
The sick feeling grew. While Dean Edwards never sounded warm and caring, her voice would have sunk the Titanic at that precise moment. He took another breath and pushed open the door. No matter what, he wouldn't give her the satisfaction of seeing him upset.
"Mr. Sandburg."
Forget the Titanic, this voice was giving the whole of the Antarctic a run for its money. "You wanted to see me, Dean Edwards?" Blair was quite proud of how calm and cool his own voice sounded. Her eyes met his and he restrained a shiver. Despite his mental barriers, he could feel the ice seeping into him.
"I received this letter last week during your unauthorised vacation from the university. It's from Mr. Christian Westward."
Blair swallowed, keeping his face as disinterested as possible. Whatever he'd said, it couldn't be good. "Yes?"
"In it, he states that his son, Gerry, who was intended to be the next Senior Guide Prime is, instead, leaving the Guide School unbonded." She paused to glare at him. "I don't suppose you know why, do you?"
"No, Dean Edwards."
"No?!" She rose to her feet at that point, apparently too indignant to remain sitting.
Blair remained calm, well, he appeared calm. "No, I have no idea why Gerry's father has decided he has to leave the Guide School."
"He was removed from the Guide School because he is no longer going to be the Senior Guide Prime! This school has benefited greatly from Mr. Westward's patronage, Mr. Sandburg." The sneer made it obvious that she thought the school had not benefited from him in any way, but he ignored it. "And now, his son, his only son, has been removed because the Senior Sentinel Prime did not bond with him! What do you have to say to that?" She barely gave him time to formulate an answer before she swung around to grab a thick file. "This is your file, Mr. Sandburg. It's hardly the material that Senior Guides Prime are made from, is it?"
Blair felt the flush that covered his face at her scathing tone. He guessed that no one was thinking he was suitable as Senior Guide Prime. Well, apart from Jim that was. "Sentinel Ellison chose me to be his Guide -"
"And what did you do to make him do such a thing?" she demanded.
"Do? You don't do anything to make a Sentinel want to bond with you! He either does or he doesn't!" Blair's pretended calm had abandoned him and he didn't particularly care to go chasing after it. He was sick and tired of people making it clear that he wasn't good enough to be Jim's Guide.
"Until he met you, Sentinel Ell...the Senior Sentinel Prime had every intention of bonding with Gerry Westward. I cannot see anything in your file that suggests that he could possibly have chosen you over Guide Westward."
"Well, he did!" Blair snapped.
"Mr. Sandburg!" Dean Edwards stood as tall as possible. "I will not tolerate such behaviour as this. You are expelled from this university! Remove yourself from the premises forthwith!"
Blair felt as though his heart was going to beat its way through his chest, taking his heaving lungs with it. "So you're expelling the Senior Guide Prime?" He saw the realisation hit her. No matter what he'd done in her eyes, he was the Senior Guide Prime and therefore the chosen Guide of the Senior Sentinel Prime.
She opened her mouth, and he knew, without a shadow of a doubt that she was going to retract everything she'd just said, and all because of his position. Nausea rose in him, stronger than ever. He couldn't play their game; he couldn't use his connection with Jim this way and he was furious that he'd allowed himself to be pushed into saying the words that reminded her exactly who he was now.
"Goodbye." His tone was strangled and his vision blurred as he staggered from the room. He knew that he had one hell of a migraine just waiting to kick in, but he had to get out of there.
~'~
Jim reached the university and headed for Professor Stoddard's class. He'd memorised Blair's timetable so that he'd know where his Guide was supposed to be while he was at the university. Not that he was an over-protective Sentinel or anything.
Reaching the right lecture hall, he paused outside the door and tuned out the professor's voice. He hadn't come to hear a lecture, all he wanted to hear was his Guide's heartbeat. Sifting through the heartbeats present, he searched for the only one he wanted then, with a shock, he realised that it wasn't there. Worried and furious, he shoved open the door and stalked into the hall. "Guide Sandburg, where is he?"
The professor stopped talking, apparently dumbfounded for a second. Then, "He was called out to see Dean Edwards."
"Where do I find the dean's office?" Jim was aware that he was sounding rather abrupt, but the uneasy feeling he'd had was growing and the need to see his Guide was growing with it.
"Oh." Professor Stoddard had to stop and think for a moment and Jim guessed he wasn't used to having to go there. "It's in the Guide School building. In through the main entrance and it's on your right somewhere. Just follow the signs."
"Thanks." Letting the door swing shut behind him, Jim made his way to the dean's office. Fortunately for him, the way to Dean Edwards' office was well sign-posted, as it wasn't to the right at all.
"May I help you?" The ever-so-superior woman sitting behind the impressive desk obviously had no doubt that she could help, although Jim doubted her willingness to.
"I'm looking for my Guide, the Senior Guide Prime."
"Oh!" The woman's attitude changed in a heartbeat. "Senior Sentinel Prime, what an honour it is to have you here! I'm sure that Dean Edwards would love to see you!" she gushed. She pressed a button on her desk and leaned forward to speak into the intercom. "Dean Edwards, the Senior Sentinel Prime is here to see you." Not waiting for an answer, she jumped to her feet and gracefully led the way to the door. "Do go in, Senior Sentinel Prime."
"Thank you." Jim waited until the door had shut behind him then regarded the shocked woman sitting behind the even more impressive desk. She stared back at him, horror in her eyes, and he didn't need to be a Sentinel to smell the fear in the room. "I'm looking for my Guide, Blair Sandburg."
Smoothly, a civilised mask slid into place, hiding her emotions. "I'm afraid Guide Sandburg isn't here. He left."
The gaze that met his was calm enough, but he could hear her heartbeat pounding away and he could see the pulse in her throat as it broadcast her fear loud and wide. Inhaling, the Sentinel could smell that his Guide had been there - and had been distressed. "What did you say to him?"
"I - I didn't say anything to him!"
Her respiration was increasing and the smell of fear doubled. Growling, the Sentinel made himself a silent promise. He'd teach them that they shouldn't upset his Guide - but now wasn't the time. He needed to find his Guide first, then deal with these interlopers. "When did he leave?"
"A-about half an hour ago!"
Snarling, the Sentinel stalked back into the outer office and out into the corridor again, ignoring the secretary's attempt to socialise with him. Blair's distress had soured his scent but it was still fresh enough for the Sentinel to follow, his task made easier as most of the students were still in class and the corridors were not busy. He trailed his Guide to the doors, but lost the scent there in the fresh breeze that was blowing.
It was possible that Blair had returned to the loft. Accordingly, he pulled out his cell phone, and dialled hurriedly. He got a busy signal. Running to his truck, he yanked open the door and threw the cell phone on the seat. He'd check the loft first.
~'~
Blair dropped the phone on the couch and groaned. Jim's cell phone was busy. It had taken him ages to dial the number with his pounding headache and distorted vision - in the end, he'd had to stare at his fingers and use his peripheral vision to find the numbers he wanted. And now, Jim was on the phone!
He leaned his head against the back of the couch and tried to relax. All he'd wanted to do was to let Jim know that he wasn't at the university, although he had no doubt the Sentinel would realise he was upset and demand to know why. Not phoning Jim wasn't an option as he suspected his Sentinel would go berserk if he reached Rainier at lunchtime and found his Guide missing. And having the Clan track him down twice in one fortnight was too much for any Guide to live down.
Picking up the phone he tried to hit re-dial, then cursed loudly as his finger missed and hit another button. Now he'd have to dial the whole number again. Closing one eye and squinting with the other, he looked at his fingers, doing his best to spot the numbers around the bright arc that was distorting his vision.
It was while he was trying to find the last number, which was stubbornly remaining out of sight no matter where he directed his gaze, that Blair heard the door open. He looked up, tilting his head to try and see around the sparkly arc that was almost surrounding his entire vision now. "Jim?"
"What's wrong with your eyesight?"
"Migraine." Blair sighed with relief and put the phone on the coffee table. At least now he could stop hunting for that damn number. "I was trying to phone you."
His Sentinel's hands were gentle as they moved over his head, tilting his face up so that his eyes could be checked. "Have you taken anything for it?"
Blair almost nodded but he suspected that his head would fall off if he did. "Yeah, I've got to go to bed though." He could sense his Sentinel's concern and hastened to reassure him. "I'll be fine in a few hours." 'Uh oh.' The Sentinel was still checking him over with his senses, clearly unhappy at this turn of events. "It's just a migraine, Jim. I've had them before. Couple of tablets, a couple of hours' sleep, and I'm back to normal."
"All right." The words were growled but the hands that helped him from the couch remained gentle.
"I'm fine, Jim, honestly."
The Sentinel refused to back off and Blair found himself escorted to his room, undressed to his t-shirt and underwear, and tucked into bed. He stopped himself from making a sarcastic comment about bedtime stories or goodnight kisses as he suspected that the Sentinel wouldn't appreciate the joke - and neither would Jim. Plus, the way his head was pounding he was pretty sure that the ability to form a coherent sentence was rapidly escaping him.
He snuggled into his pillow then got a bit of a shock as the bed behind him dipped. "Jiiim?" his voice was slurred with tiredness.
"Go to sleep, Chief."
He felt the added warmth as his Sentinel lay behind him, one arm curled possessively around his chest. Sinking into the bond together, Blair felt the pain in his head recede. He was too worn out to enjoy the novelty of being pain-free but he managed the vague thought that they should bottle the bond and sell it as a migraine reliever, before sleep overwhelmed him and he was lost.
~'~
The brief ringing of the phone brought him back to consciousness, fortunately it was a pain-free consciousness. Rolling over, he looked at his alarm clock. It was almost one. His eyes widened - he and Jim were supposed to be at the Cascade PD at one. Groaning, he threw back the bedclothes and ran to the bathroom. It wouldn't take him long to get ready.
Diving back into his bedroom, he grabbed for his clothes and started pulling them on rapidly. Hopping on one leg as he fought with his jeans, his eyes met those of his Sentinel. Jim was leaning against the doorframe, obviously enjoying the floorshow.
"Do you always dress in such a hurry?"
"We're due at the PD at one!" Blair reminded him, wondering where the hell the other leg of his jeans had gone. Realising that he'd put his right leg into the left trouser leg, he yanked off his jeans and tried again.
"Relax, Sandburg. I phoned Simon and said we'd be in tomorrow."
"And he was okay with that?" Blair was surprised. He didn't think detectives could just take time off like that.
"I told him some stuff came up." Jim shrugged then added, "Anyway, I have a ton of holiday time accrued. I think he's glad I'm finally taking some."
Blair frowned as, finally fully dressed, he followed Jim to the kitchen. "What came up?"
"Hmm?"
If he didn't know better, Blair would guess that Jim's Sentinel hearing was on the blink. He waited until Jim had finished looking in the fridge and repeated, "What came up?"
"Sandwiches and soup okay with you?"
"Yes, fine. What -"
"Anything you need to avoid after having a migraine?"
"No. Oh...was it my migraine? You could have gone into work - I would have been fine!"
"No, Chief, it wasn't the migraine. Well, not totally." Jim's gaze met his and there was a hint of sternness in the depths. "I need to know what happened in the dean's office."
Blair shrugged and shook his head. "Nothing happened."
"Riiight. So you got a migraine for no reason then?" Jim didn't pause as he spread mayo on the bread.
Blair gave it up as a bad job. It's not like his Sentinel wouldn't be able to tell when he was lying, after all. "She had a letter from Christian Westward. He's furious that Gerry didn't bond with you, she's furious that Gerry didn't bond with you, and she's furious that they've lost Mr. Westward's patronage. He donated a lot of money to Rainier in the past."
"And she took it out on you." He didn't need to look up to know that Jim's eyes were fixed on his face.
"Kind of. She got annoyed, I got annoyed. I got expelled." The last was muttered.
"She what?" The half-sliced tomato was abandoned as Jim stared at his Guide in disbelief.
"Well, I would have left anyway. It's not like I need to graduate from Guide School now that I'm bonded. Uh...Jim?" The Sentinel had headed straight past him and was reaching for the phone. "Oh, no, Jim, don't phone her!" Blair tried to grab the phone away from him but Jim fended him off with one hand, while dialling with the other.
"I want to speak to Dean Edwards."
The snooty tones of the ever-so-helpful secretary reached him. "I'm afraid Dean Edwards isn't available at the moment. May I help you?"
The Sentinel growled and disconnected the call.
"Jim, calm down, man!"
The Sentinel glared at him. "Stay here, Guide."
"Jim, where are you - don't go and see her!" He held onto his Sentinel's arm and leaned backwards, bracing his feet against the wooden floor. It was useless. He was towed towards the door then his hands were disentangled from Jim's arm and sleeve. "I wouldn't go back to the Guide School if they paid me!"
"Stay here."
"C'mon, man! You can't do this!" He stared at the shut door then sank down to sit on the floor. Ever since he'd bonded with Jim, it had been one thing after another. No one he'd met so far had been pleased with their bonding - and who knew how Jim's friends and colleagues would react? He'd been feeling so good about things this morning too. Why couldn't life be simple?
~'~
"Jim!" Sentinel Edwards looked up in surprise as the Senior Sentinel Prime marched up to his desk. "I thought you weren't coming in until tomorrow? Captain Banks said you'd called in."
"I wasn't, but this is important. Blair's been expelled from the Guide School."
"What?!" Edwards didn't need Sentinel sight to see the muscle working overtime at the corner of Ellison's jaw. "He's the Senior Guide Prime - they can't expel him!"
"That's what we're going to explain to Dean Edwards." The muscle relaxed slightly as a devilish gleam appeared in Ellison's eyes. Whatever it was he had planned, Edwards guessed that Dean Edwards (fortunately no relation) wouldn't like it one bit.
Edwards glanced around at the assembled Sentinels and Guides who were all raring to go. "Well, then. Let's go see her."
~'~
"Dean Edwards is busy and does not wish to see you." Delicia Adams, the superior secretary to the most superior Dean Edwards, looked down her nose at one ex-student of the Guide School and sneered. She'd known that this one would amount to nothing. Not the right background, you see, and definitely the wrong clothes. When she had been a student at the Guide School, all the students dressed and spoke well. Not that she'd chosen to bond, of course; her work kept her more than happy.
The ex-student facing her sighed. "Can you please just tell me if the Senior Sentinel Prime is in there now?"
She raised an eyebrow, shocked at the young man's question. "I hardly think that the Senior Sentinel Prime's whereabouts are any of your concern!"
"Look, you have no idea how important -"
Delicia talked over him effortlessly. She'd had years of practice. "And you, young man, have no right to be asking these questions. I suggest you leave before I ask security to escort you out of here!"
"I think I might have something to say about that."
The voice was ice-cold and filled with fury. Delicia smirked slightly as she met the gaze of the Senior Sentinel Prime, then smirked even more as she looked upon the horror-filled face of the ex-student.
He gulped audibly then turned to face the irate Sentinel. "Hey, Jim."
Delicia gasped. Of all the impertinence; to refer to the Senior Sentinel Prime as 'Jim'! She waited, eagerly, for the Senior Sentinel Prime and his companions to deal with the upstart.
"I thought I told you to stay in the loft?"
She frowned. What kind of a question was that? Unless... Unease crept into her mind.
"Well...you did...but...."
"You thought you'd try to stop me from dealing with Dean Edwards?"
The irate look was just as she expected, but the whole situation felt wrong. Delicia had a sinking feeling that she'd misjudged the scruffy young man badly.
"It's not that -"
"Edwards, David!"
The Sentinel and Guide thus addressed promptly stepped forward.
"Guard my Guide." The order was practically snarled.
The ex-student moved backwards until he was almost leaning back across Delicia's impressive desk. "Jim, I don't -"
He was ignored as the Senior Sentinel Prime and the rest of his Clan marched into Dean Edward's office.
"Why don't you sit down, Blair?" The Sentinel's voice was kind. "I'm sure that the Senior Sentinel Prime won't be long."
Delicia watched with horror as the scruffy ex-student was gently escorted to a seat. She almost made an automatic protest as the seats were saved for visiting dignitaries and not usually offered to students, scruffy or otherwise, but she managed to rein herself in. This was no scruffy student, this was the most superior Senior Guide Prime, and she had made the biggest mistake of her career.
~'~
Dean Edwards barely managed a squeak as she found her office invaded by the Senior Sentinel Prime and his clan of Sentinels and Guides, all of whom seemed unusually large today for some reason.
"Dean Edwards."
She gathered her dignity around her like a rather tattered cloak and managed to stand. She was, after all, the dean of Rainier University and its associated Guide School, not some lowly student. "Senior Sentinel Prime, what an unexpected surprise."
"Surprise?" The voice sounded almost genial. "I think I'd call it a shock, wouldn't you?" The voice hardened. "You expelled my Guide. Explain yourself."
For a moment, she vacillated, torn between the two choices she'd been considering since Blair Sandburg had left her office. One: brazen it out and refuse to accept the Senior Guide Prime back as a student. Unfortunately, that wasn't an option, regardless of her feelings in the matter. If she had had any doubts about the Senior Sentinel Prime backing up his Guide by whatever means possible, she no longer had them. His face alone assured her that any attempt to disgrace his Guide would lead to retaliation. And, as the most effective retaliation would be to have his Clan scorn the Guide School and insist on bonding with Guides from another school, he could easily bring her to her knees.
That left option two: insist that Guide Sandburg had misunderstood her and that she was horrified to realise that he believed he had been expelled. Of course, that option depended on both the Senior Sentinel Prime and his Guide being willing to accept the 'misunderstanding'; she did not delude herself into thinking that she could lie to a Sentinel. Reminding herself that being Dean often called for great sacrifices, she plunged into an explanation.
"Expelled?" She managed to sound horrified on Guide Sandburg's behalf. "I am aware that Guide...the Senior Guide Prime left my office believing that he had been expelled, but I can assure you, Senior Sentinel Prime, that he was not." The sweetness in her voice would have had flies pouring in from all directions. "I attempted to correct his mistake but I believe that he was feeling unwell, and he left before I could make him understand that nothing was farther from my mind."
She'd faced an irate board of University Governors before now but that was nothing compared to facing a furious Clan who were determined to protect the reputation of their Senior Guide Prime. She felt a trickle of sweat begin to slide down her back, irritating and tickling her skin as it went. Almost as if he were aware of it, the Senior Sentinel Prime was silent until the sweat reached the waistband of her immaculate skirt and was soaked up by the material.
"I see."
"Of course, as Guide Sandburg is now a bonded Guide he does not need to return to the Guide School. Instead, he will, of course, be given the option to graduate immediately. With honours. After all," she attempted a laugh, "he is the Senior Guide Prime."
The face remained carved in stone, the eyes granite-like, as the Sentinel replied, "And in the university?"
She tried to hold a smile in place as her face muscles trembled. "Naturally, the Senior Guide Prime's studies are most important to Rainier University."
Finally, after an ice age, he spoke again, "I'll let my Guide know. We'll be in touch."
It wasn't until the door shut behind them that she allowed her quivering muscles to give way. Her smile disappeared and she sat down far less gracefully than she had in years.
Part 3.