The Sentinel/General/A Major Setback
Title: A Major Setback
Fandom: The Sentinel
Characters: Jim Ellison, Blair Sandburg, Simon Banks, Joel Taggart
Prompt: 055. Crime, Table 1
Word Count: 2356
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Violence, blood, angst
Summary: Blair becomes a high school teacher. But even that's not without its problems. This is third in a series which includes: 1) Gone Too Long and 2) The Triumphant Return
Author's Notes: I do not own The Sentinel or any of the characters. This was written for entertainment purposes only and no money was made in this endeavor. Table
A Major Setback
Debbie
Blair was able to get a job as a history and English teacher at the high school for the beginning of the school year. He had gone to put in applications all around the city. The only places he didn't go were the police station and the university.
Jim was surprised when Blair told him about getting a job teaching. He had been thinking about asking Blair if he wanted to come back to the station. Blair answered that question before Jim could say anything.
"I did decide that police work isn't for me. And it's not only because of my past encounters and adventures with the Cascade Police Department. My first love has always been teaching. I loved it when I taught anthropology at Rainier, but I knew that option was gone for me also, since it had been so long since I had been there. Plus the fact that there is too much politics at the university."
Blair decided as a high school teacher that he could make a difference in the lives of young people. He was looking forward to starting his new job.
Jim had invited him to the Major Crime picnic. Jim was pleased Blair decided to attend. Blair could see through Jim's manipulations though. He still wanted Blair to consider the police department, even part-time, as a job.
Simon made the pitch that there were openings for civilian investigators who had experience and that Blair would fit in perfectly.
"I can't work at the station, Simon. That was a lifetime ago. I've moved on from there."
^^^^^^
Later in the evening, Blair was sitting near the docks and was thinking about why he didn't want to return to the station. He knew the real reason why. He had reestablished contact with the detectives and several others, but they weren't the deep friendships he had previously before he had left Cascade for two years. He was still friendly with Jim, but there still hadn't been any mention of Jim's heightened senses. It was as if there was an elephant in the room with them at all times, but both men had become very adept at ignoring it.
Blair just didn't want to invest himself that deeply into Jim's life. He had practically known every intimate detail about the detective's life prior to leaving Cascade. Since his return, he didn't even know if Jim still stopped by the bakery every morning as had been his routine.
Deep down, Blair knew why he was doing things this way. It reduced the amount of hurt that was bound to occur when his life blew up in his face again. It was a sure fact that it would happen again. It had happened repeatedly throughout Blair's life. Since he had been a young child. He'd get close to people, start to care and then have the rug pulled out from under him, causing upheaval and pain.
Well, it wasn't going to happen again. Blair Sandburg had finally learned his lesson. He'd 'detach with love' as his mother would say. She had the right idea. It just took Blair a little longer to learn the lesson.
He could care for his students because they weren't going to be a permanent fixture in his life. They were only there for a few years and then they moved on. That's what he loved about teaching. He could mold young minds and teach them the wonders of the world and then send them out into said world and have them teach others. It was the ultimate meaning of making a difference. And he didn't have to be emotionally invested in them to do that.
Blair made his way home. Well, it wasn't a home. The loft had been a home. This was just an apartment where he could crash. It was located near the docks, which is why he spent much of his time there, watching the water, the boats and the people. The anthropologist teaching was still running in his veins.
He unlocked the door to his apartment and immediately hit the light switch, bathing the small room in light. He slipped off his coat, hanging it up in the closet there. He moved towards the kitchen, getting a bottle of water out of the refrigerator. He went to sit down on the pullout couch. He had teacher orientation beginning next week and he was looking forward to it.
He had given Josh his two-week notice earlier that evening. He hated giving up the bartender job, but he didn't think it would look too good for a high school teacher to be working at a nightclub on the side. The job had allowed him to earn money while looking for something more substantial. It was like his previous bartending job. He would listen to his customers, offer a little advice and then send them on their way. No emotional attachments required. He had 'detach with love' down to an art.
^^^^^^
Blair invested a lot of energy in his students and their studies. He wanted the best from all of them. He had even started an after school program for students interested in anthropology. He'd give them college level materials and readings, undergraduate studies Blair had studied himself all those years ago when he started at Rainier. It was rewarding to see so many students take an interest in anthropology. He was making a difference.
A group was talking in front of the school after one of the sessions. Everyone was so engrossed in the discussion that no one noticed the car approaching and the guns sticking out of the windows. There was a hail of gunfire, accompanied by yells, screams and screeching tires as the young gunmen drove off.
When the shooting had started, Blair had pushed several students out of the way. He hoped to safety. He had felt the impact of several bullets, but didn't know how seriously hurt he was. He heard yelling and screaming and someone on a cell phone, calling for help. Blair tried to get to his feet, wanting to see how bad everyone else was. But he couldn't get his body to listen to his mind. He was able to roll onto his back and felt an intense pain run down his spine. Then someone was kneeling beside him.
"Just lay still, Mr. Sandburg. Julie called 9-1-1. I hear the sirens in the distance."
Blair couldn't even respond to the student. He felt the tear roll down his cheek.
^^^^^^
Joel drove to the high school. There had been several reports coming in about a drive-by shooting. There was no information about the shooters, but several students had been hit and possibly a teacher. Jim coordinated the incoming information as they were dispatched to the school. It was suspected that it was some kind of gang activity, although it wasn't clear why they would target the high school, unless it involved a rival gang.
They pulled up in front of the school and clipped their badges onto their coats as they walked over to where the shooting had taken place. Jim heard Joel's gasp before he saw the body lying on the pavement. Jim automatically moved over to kneel by Blair's prone figure. He grasped the limp hand in his own.
"Hold on, Sandburg! The ambulances are coming!"
There was no response from the young man, but Jim continued to hold onto Blair's hand until the paramedics arrived. Blair had been hit in the back and in the leg, but Jim wasn't sure how bad off Blair was.
Joel and Jim were the primaries on the shooting. Even though Jim was worried about Blair and the students that had been hit, his first obligation was to the crime at hand. He and Joel wanted to catch those responsible for such an act.
^^^^^^
It wasn't until the next day that Jim could get to the hospital. Luckily, no one had died from the wounds. Jim found out Blair was in Intensive Care, on a respirator. They had been able to remove both bullets, but the one to the spine had nicked a lung, causing respiratory problems. Jim got permission to go in to see Blair.
This was different from the other times Blair had been in the hospital. Jim felt like a stranger. He and Blair had renewed their friendship, but it was on a completely different level than it had been before. Since Blair had been back, he hadn't mentioned anything about Jim's heightened senses. So, Jim didn't mention anything about them either. Jim could tell Blair was being more distant than before.
He didn't even want to consider the police department when it came time to get a job. After Blair had left, there had been changes at the station. There were specialty positions created for civilians who wanted to aid the police. They were paid an actual salary and there was more control over what situations they were placed in, to avoid getting hurt or injured. Jim was really hoping Blair would want to return to where he had friends and people who cared for him. But Blair had changed since he had left.
Jim stood by the bed, looking down at the pale figure in the bed. The doctor had been able to tell him Blair was going to be okay, but that no determination had been made yet as to whether he would suffer any paralysis. It seemed like the spinal cord was intact, but they weren't sure about the nerves.
Jim hoped Blair would make a full recovery. He couldn't take it if Blair was less than 100%. He still cared for the young man.
^^^^^^
Blair came to, expecting someone by his bedside. However, there was no one. He was all alone. He had a tube down his throat and he tried to remember what happened. 'The shooting!' His memory came back. He found the call button and pushed it to alert the nursing staff he was awake.
Thankfully, the breathing tube was taken out after the doctor arrived and had examined him for what seemed like forever. Blair coughed and his throat felt raw from the tube.
"Oth… ers?" Blair croaked out the word.
"Now, Mr. Sandburg. No talking for a while. The others involved in the shooting are okay. Or will be eventually. Two of them are still in the hospital, besides you."
Blair relaxed glad no one had died. There was a touch to his arm. He opened his eyes again.
"I'm going to do a series of needle pricks along your spinal column. Just let me know if you feel them, okay?"
Blair only nodded this time. The doctor did the test and Blair could feel everything. The doctor was encouraged.
"Well, that's a good sign. We'll be moving you to a regular room later today and get you started on physical therapy."
Blair grimaced at the mention of physical therapy. He remembered the pain Jim endured through his physical therapy and knew he was in for at least that much pain, if not more. He didn't look forward to enduring long hours of therapy, but knew he'd have to in order to get back to work.
^^^^^^
Jim and Joel wrapped up the shooting crime several days later. They found the gang members responsible when they bragged in a store about the initiation shooting they had pulled off at the high school, even hitting a teacher.
Jim wanted to smack the smirks off their faces, but he behaved himself so that the ones responsible wouldn't be released on a technicality. Jim hadn't been by the hospital since seeing Blair in Intensive Care. He had no way of finding out how Blair was unless he went to the hospital. They wouldn't release Blair's condition to him over the phone.
Joel and Jim conducted the interrogations and placed the four young men in the system. They would spend at least a night in lockup. Afterwards, Joel offered to do the last of the paperwork on the case so that Jim could swing by the hospital and update Blair on the arrests of those responsible for the shooting.
"Thanks, Joel. I owe you one."
"Just tell Blair I hope he's out of the hospital soon."
"I pass on your well wishes."
^^^^^^
Jim was happy to find out Blair was in a regular room. That meant he was doing better.
Jim paused outside the room and listened inside. He could hear the even breathing, indicating Blair was asleep. Jim decided to walk inside anyway. Maybe he'd wake up soon.
Jim walked into the room, amazed when Blair's eyes opened almost immediately.
"I was glad to hear you got out of Intensive Care. How's your back?"
"No paralysis. I'm happy about that. I have to undergo PT, but that's to be expected. It's not like I haven't been through it before."
"I stopped by to let you know we caught the shooters."
"You were on the case?"
"Joel and I. Yeah. By the way, he hopes you're out of the hospital soon. God, Blair! When I saw you lying on the pavement, I thought you were dead. Old feelings returned big time."
"Hey, Jim. Don't do this, okay. I'm going to be fine."
"Sure. Sorry about that. Anyway, it was one of the gangs in town. An initiation. They actually bragged about the shooting, which is how we caught them."
"Sounds typical of gang mentality. I remember when I did a study back when I started at Rainier…" Blair's voice trailed off. "Sorry, I guess you don't want to hear that, do you?"
"No, it's okay, Blair. You can talk about anything you want to. Even if you want to talk about my heightened senses."
There it was. The elephant was now visible and both men were staring at it.
Blair squirmed in the bed uncomfortably. Jim continued to look at Blair. He really did want to talk about this.
"Not now, Jim. Not when I'm laid up in the hospital."
"Okay, Blair. I can wait. As long as I need to."
Fandom: The Sentinel
Characters: Jim Ellison, Blair Sandburg, Simon Banks, Joel Taggart
Prompt: 055. Crime, Table 1
Word Count: 2356
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Violence, blood, angst
Summary: Blair becomes a high school teacher. But even that's not without its problems. This is third in a series which includes: 1) Gone Too Long and 2) The Triumphant Return
Author's Notes: I do not own The Sentinel or any of the characters. This was written for entertainment purposes only and no money was made in this endeavor. Table
A Major Setback
Debbie
Blair was able to get a job as a history and English teacher at the high school for the beginning of the school year. He had gone to put in applications all around the city. The only places he didn't go were the police station and the university.
Jim was surprised when Blair told him about getting a job teaching. He had been thinking about asking Blair if he wanted to come back to the station. Blair answered that question before Jim could say anything.
"I did decide that police work isn't for me. And it's not only because of my past encounters and adventures with the Cascade Police Department. My first love has always been teaching. I loved it when I taught anthropology at Rainier, but I knew that option was gone for me also, since it had been so long since I had been there. Plus the fact that there is too much politics at the university."
Blair decided as a high school teacher that he could make a difference in the lives of young people. He was looking forward to starting his new job.
Jim had invited him to the Major Crime picnic. Jim was pleased Blair decided to attend. Blair could see through Jim's manipulations though. He still wanted Blair to consider the police department, even part-time, as a job.
Simon made the pitch that there were openings for civilian investigators who had experience and that Blair would fit in perfectly.
"I can't work at the station, Simon. That was a lifetime ago. I've moved on from there."
^^^^^^
Later in the evening, Blair was sitting near the docks and was thinking about why he didn't want to return to the station. He knew the real reason why. He had reestablished contact with the detectives and several others, but they weren't the deep friendships he had previously before he had left Cascade for two years. He was still friendly with Jim, but there still hadn't been any mention of Jim's heightened senses. It was as if there was an elephant in the room with them at all times, but both men had become very adept at ignoring it.
Blair just didn't want to invest himself that deeply into Jim's life. He had practically known every intimate detail about the detective's life prior to leaving Cascade. Since his return, he didn't even know if Jim still stopped by the bakery every morning as had been his routine.
Deep down, Blair knew why he was doing things this way. It reduced the amount of hurt that was bound to occur when his life blew up in his face again. It was a sure fact that it would happen again. It had happened repeatedly throughout Blair's life. Since he had been a young child. He'd get close to people, start to care and then have the rug pulled out from under him, causing upheaval and pain.
Well, it wasn't going to happen again. Blair Sandburg had finally learned his lesson. He'd 'detach with love' as his mother would say. She had the right idea. It just took Blair a little longer to learn the lesson.
He could care for his students because they weren't going to be a permanent fixture in his life. They were only there for a few years and then they moved on. That's what he loved about teaching. He could mold young minds and teach them the wonders of the world and then send them out into said world and have them teach others. It was the ultimate meaning of making a difference. And he didn't have to be emotionally invested in them to do that.
Blair made his way home. Well, it wasn't a home. The loft had been a home. This was just an apartment where he could crash. It was located near the docks, which is why he spent much of his time there, watching the water, the boats and the people. The anthropologist teaching was still running in his veins.
He unlocked the door to his apartment and immediately hit the light switch, bathing the small room in light. He slipped off his coat, hanging it up in the closet there. He moved towards the kitchen, getting a bottle of water out of the refrigerator. He went to sit down on the pullout couch. He had teacher orientation beginning next week and he was looking forward to it.
He had given Josh his two-week notice earlier that evening. He hated giving up the bartender job, but he didn't think it would look too good for a high school teacher to be working at a nightclub on the side. The job had allowed him to earn money while looking for something more substantial. It was like his previous bartending job. He would listen to his customers, offer a little advice and then send them on their way. No emotional attachments required. He had 'detach with love' down to an art.
^^^^^^
Blair invested a lot of energy in his students and their studies. He wanted the best from all of them. He had even started an after school program for students interested in anthropology. He'd give them college level materials and readings, undergraduate studies Blair had studied himself all those years ago when he started at Rainier. It was rewarding to see so many students take an interest in anthropology. He was making a difference.
A group was talking in front of the school after one of the sessions. Everyone was so engrossed in the discussion that no one noticed the car approaching and the guns sticking out of the windows. There was a hail of gunfire, accompanied by yells, screams and screeching tires as the young gunmen drove off.
When the shooting had started, Blair had pushed several students out of the way. He hoped to safety. He had felt the impact of several bullets, but didn't know how seriously hurt he was. He heard yelling and screaming and someone on a cell phone, calling for help. Blair tried to get to his feet, wanting to see how bad everyone else was. But he couldn't get his body to listen to his mind. He was able to roll onto his back and felt an intense pain run down his spine. Then someone was kneeling beside him.
"Just lay still, Mr. Sandburg. Julie called 9-1-1. I hear the sirens in the distance."
Blair couldn't even respond to the student. He felt the tear roll down his cheek.
^^^^^^
Joel drove to the high school. There had been several reports coming in about a drive-by shooting. There was no information about the shooters, but several students had been hit and possibly a teacher. Jim coordinated the incoming information as they were dispatched to the school. It was suspected that it was some kind of gang activity, although it wasn't clear why they would target the high school, unless it involved a rival gang.
They pulled up in front of the school and clipped their badges onto their coats as they walked over to where the shooting had taken place. Jim heard Joel's gasp before he saw the body lying on the pavement. Jim automatically moved over to kneel by Blair's prone figure. He grasped the limp hand in his own.
"Hold on, Sandburg! The ambulances are coming!"
There was no response from the young man, but Jim continued to hold onto Blair's hand until the paramedics arrived. Blair had been hit in the back and in the leg, but Jim wasn't sure how bad off Blair was.
Joel and Jim were the primaries on the shooting. Even though Jim was worried about Blair and the students that had been hit, his first obligation was to the crime at hand. He and Joel wanted to catch those responsible for such an act.
^^^^^^
It wasn't until the next day that Jim could get to the hospital. Luckily, no one had died from the wounds. Jim found out Blair was in Intensive Care, on a respirator. They had been able to remove both bullets, but the one to the spine had nicked a lung, causing respiratory problems. Jim got permission to go in to see Blair.
This was different from the other times Blair had been in the hospital. Jim felt like a stranger. He and Blair had renewed their friendship, but it was on a completely different level than it had been before. Since Blair had been back, he hadn't mentioned anything about Jim's heightened senses. So, Jim didn't mention anything about them either. Jim could tell Blair was being more distant than before.
He didn't even want to consider the police department when it came time to get a job. After Blair had left, there had been changes at the station. There were specialty positions created for civilians who wanted to aid the police. They were paid an actual salary and there was more control over what situations they were placed in, to avoid getting hurt or injured. Jim was really hoping Blair would want to return to where he had friends and people who cared for him. But Blair had changed since he had left.
Jim stood by the bed, looking down at the pale figure in the bed. The doctor had been able to tell him Blair was going to be okay, but that no determination had been made yet as to whether he would suffer any paralysis. It seemed like the spinal cord was intact, but they weren't sure about the nerves.
Jim hoped Blair would make a full recovery. He couldn't take it if Blair was less than 100%. He still cared for the young man.
^^^^^^
Blair came to, expecting someone by his bedside. However, there was no one. He was all alone. He had a tube down his throat and he tried to remember what happened. 'The shooting!' His memory came back. He found the call button and pushed it to alert the nursing staff he was awake.
Thankfully, the breathing tube was taken out after the doctor arrived and had examined him for what seemed like forever. Blair coughed and his throat felt raw from the tube.
"Oth… ers?" Blair croaked out the word.
"Now, Mr. Sandburg. No talking for a while. The others involved in the shooting are okay. Or will be eventually. Two of them are still in the hospital, besides you."
Blair relaxed glad no one had died. There was a touch to his arm. He opened his eyes again.
"I'm going to do a series of needle pricks along your spinal column. Just let me know if you feel them, okay?"
Blair only nodded this time. The doctor did the test and Blair could feel everything. The doctor was encouraged.
"Well, that's a good sign. We'll be moving you to a regular room later today and get you started on physical therapy."
Blair grimaced at the mention of physical therapy. He remembered the pain Jim endured through his physical therapy and knew he was in for at least that much pain, if not more. He didn't look forward to enduring long hours of therapy, but knew he'd have to in order to get back to work.
^^^^^^
Jim and Joel wrapped up the shooting crime several days later. They found the gang members responsible when they bragged in a store about the initiation shooting they had pulled off at the high school, even hitting a teacher.
Jim wanted to smack the smirks off their faces, but he behaved himself so that the ones responsible wouldn't be released on a technicality. Jim hadn't been by the hospital since seeing Blair in Intensive Care. He had no way of finding out how Blair was unless he went to the hospital. They wouldn't release Blair's condition to him over the phone.
Joel and Jim conducted the interrogations and placed the four young men in the system. They would spend at least a night in lockup. Afterwards, Joel offered to do the last of the paperwork on the case so that Jim could swing by the hospital and update Blair on the arrests of those responsible for the shooting.
"Thanks, Joel. I owe you one."
"Just tell Blair I hope he's out of the hospital soon."
"I pass on your well wishes."
^^^^^^
Jim was happy to find out Blair was in a regular room. That meant he was doing better.
Jim paused outside the room and listened inside. He could hear the even breathing, indicating Blair was asleep. Jim decided to walk inside anyway. Maybe he'd wake up soon.
Jim walked into the room, amazed when Blair's eyes opened almost immediately.
"I was glad to hear you got out of Intensive Care. How's your back?"
"No paralysis. I'm happy about that. I have to undergo PT, but that's to be expected. It's not like I haven't been through it before."
"I stopped by to let you know we caught the shooters."
"You were on the case?"
"Joel and I. Yeah. By the way, he hopes you're out of the hospital soon. God, Blair! When I saw you lying on the pavement, I thought you were dead. Old feelings returned big time."
"Hey, Jim. Don't do this, okay. I'm going to be fine."
"Sure. Sorry about that. Anyway, it was one of the gangs in town. An initiation. They actually bragged about the shooting, which is how we caught them."
"Sounds typical of gang mentality. I remember when I did a study back when I started at Rainier…" Blair's voice trailed off. "Sorry, I guess you don't want to hear that, do you?"
"No, it's okay, Blair. You can talk about anything you want to. Even if you want to talk about my heightened senses."
There it was. The elephant was now visible and both men were staring at it.
Blair squirmed in the bed uncomfortably. Jim continued to look at Blair. He really did want to talk about this.
"Not now, Jim. Not when I'm laid up in the hospital."
"Okay, Blair. I can wait. As long as I need to."