The Sentinel/General/The Breakthrough
Title: The Breakthrough
Fandom: The Sentinel
Characters: Jim Ellison, Blair Sandburg
Prompt: 082. Afraid, Table 1
Word Count: 1058
Rating: PG
Warnings: This is an epilogue for the episode, Cypher. Blair angst.
Summary: Blair is still dwelling on David Lash.
Author's Notes: I do not own The Sentinel or any of the characters. This was written for entertainment purposes only. No money was made from this endeavor. Table Here
The Breakthrough
Debbie
Blair arrived home and immediately turned on all of the lights inside the loft. He had discovered Jim wasn't home yet and he didn't want to admit that he was still afraid to be alone in the loft. It had been over six months since Lash had invaded their home, subdued Blair and spirited him away to be the serial killer's next target. Luckily, for Blair, Jim had been able to track him to the spot where Lash had taken Blair. Jim had killed Lash, but that hadn't stopped the nightmares and terrors from invading Blair's thoughts when he was alone. When Jim was with him, it was much better. Jim was his Blessed Protector, so named by Blair because Jim had rescued him from sure death at the hands of David Lash.
Blair moved over to the stereo to flood the place in noise as well as light. He knew how ridiculous he was acting, but he couldn't help himself. His fears were real, at least to him. He wondered what Jim would think about what he did when he was alone in the loft. Blair always stayed up until Jim got home, no matter how late it was. Jim would always grouse and complain about all of the lights being on and the music, or the television, loud enough to wake the neighbors. Blair always would apologize, turn off the music and help Jim turn off the lights. He would say that he didn't realize what he was doing and that he'd put in a little extra that week on his rent money. That would usually elicit a laugh out of Jim, as he always pointed out Blair rarely paid his rent on time.
Blair then made sure all of the doors and windows were locked and secure. He would never answer the door to strangers and sometimes not even for friends. It depended on how he felt that night. Sometimes, friends would stop by and Blair would let them in. It helped to dissipate being afraid. Most nights alone, however, were spent in the living room, trying to do schoolwork or preparation for his classes. But he would spend a lot of the time watching the door, the windows and listening for approaching trouble.
Then Jim would arrive home and Blair would quickly unlock the deadbolt so Jim could get inside and things could start to return to normal. Blair looked forward to the times when Jim came home. Jim never did question Blair on why the deadbolt was in place.
Blair knew he had to talk to someone about his fear. Someone professional. He knew he couldn't discuss it with Jim because Jim would never understand why he was afraid of a ghost who could do him no harm. He decided he would try someone at the university. He really did want to feel safe in his own home. Jim had taken great pains immediately after the incident to clean up the loft without Blair there. Jim had tried to replace the broken items and make the place appear as if nothing had ever happened. Of course, that didn't help Blair with the memories of what happened still in his mind. That was the real reason he had to see someone professional. He couldn't keep going on the way he had been. A few weeks, sure, but this had been over six months. He needed help.
Blair heard the knock at the door. "Sandburg, let me in!" Jim sounded just a little tired.
Blair rushed over to the door, unlocking the deadbolt and opening the door for Jim. He stepped aside as Jim pushed his way inside the loft. He took off his coat and turned to face Blair.
"Okay, Chief. We need to talk. Now."
"Is something wrong, Jim?" Blair tried to control his heartbeat.
"I wasn't going to say anything, but since this has been going on for so long, I feel I should say something."
"What's been going on, Jim?" Blair turned away from Jim's intense gaze.
"Don't play innocent with me, Sandburg. Why don't you tell me why every time I come home, all of the lights are on and there is some noise going to assault my hearing?"
"I'm sorry about that, Jim. I was just listening to some music and I forgot about it." Blair moved over to the stereo and turned it off. He still didn't look in Jim's direction.
"You're losing your touch, Blair. Why don't you try the truth?"
"I can't. You'll think I'm a wimp."
"Blair, I think you're a lot of things, but wimp isn't one of them. Does this have anything to do with the Lash incident?"
Blair shook his head, but Jim heard Blair's heartbeat pounding harder. He walked over to Blair and gently placed his hand on the younger man's back.
"It's okay, Blair. I understand. But it's been over six months. I thought you were going to go see someone."
"I was, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I'm embarrassed about this that it's gone on so long."
"Well, how about talking to me about it? I'm a really good listener."
"I can't, Jim."
"You know, I think that if you talk about it, it will help dissipate the fear this holds over you."
Blair turned around to look at Jim. "You really think so?"
"It can't hurt, Chief. You want to give it a try?"
"Sure. I'll try anything once."
"Now that's the Blair Sandburg I know."
They went over to sit on the couch and Blair started talking about what he was afraid of and what might happen again. Jim didn't say a word, but listened intently to what Blair was saying and was pleased when Blair concluded that the odds of the same thing happening again were small. Blair was more confident that he not be afraid in his own home and that there were other thoughts to dwell on instead.
Afterwards, both of them were pleased that there seemed to be a breakthrough of sorts and that Blair had a better outlook on the future than he had previously. Blair thanked Jim for listening and Jim thanked Blair for trusting him enough to tell his fears. Jim went to order take-out for dinner and Blair went around the loft turning off the lights.
Fandom: The Sentinel
Characters: Jim Ellison, Blair Sandburg
Prompt: 082. Afraid, Table 1
Word Count: 1058
Rating: PG
Warnings: This is an epilogue for the episode, Cypher. Blair angst.
Summary: Blair is still dwelling on David Lash.
Author's Notes: I do not own The Sentinel or any of the characters. This was written for entertainment purposes only. No money was made from this endeavor. Table Here
The Breakthrough
Debbie
Blair arrived home and immediately turned on all of the lights inside the loft. He had discovered Jim wasn't home yet and he didn't want to admit that he was still afraid to be alone in the loft. It had been over six months since Lash had invaded their home, subdued Blair and spirited him away to be the serial killer's next target. Luckily, for Blair, Jim had been able to track him to the spot where Lash had taken Blair. Jim had killed Lash, but that hadn't stopped the nightmares and terrors from invading Blair's thoughts when he was alone. When Jim was with him, it was much better. Jim was his Blessed Protector, so named by Blair because Jim had rescued him from sure death at the hands of David Lash.
Blair moved over to the stereo to flood the place in noise as well as light. He knew how ridiculous he was acting, but he couldn't help himself. His fears were real, at least to him. He wondered what Jim would think about what he did when he was alone in the loft. Blair always stayed up until Jim got home, no matter how late it was. Jim would always grouse and complain about all of the lights being on and the music, or the television, loud enough to wake the neighbors. Blair always would apologize, turn off the music and help Jim turn off the lights. He would say that he didn't realize what he was doing and that he'd put in a little extra that week on his rent money. That would usually elicit a laugh out of Jim, as he always pointed out Blair rarely paid his rent on time.
Blair then made sure all of the doors and windows were locked and secure. He would never answer the door to strangers and sometimes not even for friends. It depended on how he felt that night. Sometimes, friends would stop by and Blair would let them in. It helped to dissipate being afraid. Most nights alone, however, were spent in the living room, trying to do schoolwork or preparation for his classes. But he would spend a lot of the time watching the door, the windows and listening for approaching trouble.
Then Jim would arrive home and Blair would quickly unlock the deadbolt so Jim could get inside and things could start to return to normal. Blair looked forward to the times when Jim came home. Jim never did question Blair on why the deadbolt was in place.
Blair knew he had to talk to someone about his fear. Someone professional. He knew he couldn't discuss it with Jim because Jim would never understand why he was afraid of a ghost who could do him no harm. He decided he would try someone at the university. He really did want to feel safe in his own home. Jim had taken great pains immediately after the incident to clean up the loft without Blair there. Jim had tried to replace the broken items and make the place appear as if nothing had ever happened. Of course, that didn't help Blair with the memories of what happened still in his mind. That was the real reason he had to see someone professional. He couldn't keep going on the way he had been. A few weeks, sure, but this had been over six months. He needed help.
Blair heard the knock at the door. "Sandburg, let me in!" Jim sounded just a little tired.
Blair rushed over to the door, unlocking the deadbolt and opening the door for Jim. He stepped aside as Jim pushed his way inside the loft. He took off his coat and turned to face Blair.
"Okay, Chief. We need to talk. Now."
"Is something wrong, Jim?" Blair tried to control his heartbeat.
"I wasn't going to say anything, but since this has been going on for so long, I feel I should say something."
"What's been going on, Jim?" Blair turned away from Jim's intense gaze.
"Don't play innocent with me, Sandburg. Why don't you tell me why every time I come home, all of the lights are on and there is some noise going to assault my hearing?"
"I'm sorry about that, Jim. I was just listening to some music and I forgot about it." Blair moved over to the stereo and turned it off. He still didn't look in Jim's direction.
"You're losing your touch, Blair. Why don't you try the truth?"
"I can't. You'll think I'm a wimp."
"Blair, I think you're a lot of things, but wimp isn't one of them. Does this have anything to do with the Lash incident?"
Blair shook his head, but Jim heard Blair's heartbeat pounding harder. He walked over to Blair and gently placed his hand on the younger man's back.
"It's okay, Blair. I understand. But it's been over six months. I thought you were going to go see someone."
"I was, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I'm embarrassed about this that it's gone on so long."
"Well, how about talking to me about it? I'm a really good listener."
"I can't, Jim."
"You know, I think that if you talk about it, it will help dissipate the fear this holds over you."
Blair turned around to look at Jim. "You really think so?"
"It can't hurt, Chief. You want to give it a try?"
"Sure. I'll try anything once."
"Now that's the Blair Sandburg I know."
They went over to sit on the couch and Blair started talking about what he was afraid of and what might happen again. Jim didn't say a word, but listened intently to what Blair was saying and was pleased when Blair concluded that the odds of the same thing happening again were small. Blair was more confident that he not be afraid in his own home and that there were other thoughts to dwell on instead.
Afterwards, both of them were pleased that there seemed to be a breakthrough of sorts and that Blair had a better outlook on the future than he had previously. Blair thanked Jim for listening and Jim thanked Blair for trusting him enough to tell his fears. Jim went to order take-out for dinner and Blair went around the loft turning off the lights.