By Polly

Notes: Because that line 'You're finished in this department, Chief... as an observer' has always bugged me, I had to find a way to soften it a bit. I think this is it for this series - what happened next can be extrapolated.

Blair watched Jim sleep, hardly able to believe that any of this was really, finally happening.

He'd have to wake up sometime, wouldn't he? He had to be dreaming, because Jim couldn't possibly have said 'I love you', 'run away with me', or 'forgive me'.

He couldn't have really heard those words come out of Jim Ellison's mouth, could he? He couldn't be lying here, naked, in Jim Ellison's bed; with an equally naked Jim Ellison sprawling next to him, his belly still sticky with their mingled come.

Nah.

He was either dreaming, or hallucinating, maybe... which would make this the best fucking hallucination he'd ever had, including the time that he'd done peyote with that guy during- Well.

He might be having a flashback of some kind, Blair supposed idly, one hand absently stroking Jim's soft hair. He'd experimented in his younger and dumber days- hell, not too many people hadn't, even if his experimentation was chiefly limited to shamanic concoctions and tribal rituals.

In fact, once he thought about it, there was a good chance that even now he was sitting beside that sweat lodge near Rapid City, taking the spirit journey that had set him on the path towards seeking a sentinel.

Which would make the last... hmm, fifteen some-odd years one long, elaborate peyote dream, and give him one hell of a do-over.

"What are you thinking about?" Jim whispered, and Blair jumped a little, focusing on those pale eyes boring into his.

This had to be real. Had to be, or he would absolutely lose his mind.

"Do you ever want a do-over, Jim?"

"Aw God, Blair. Only where most of my life is concerned," Jim said, still whispering, just as he'd done.

"Most?"

"Not for the day I met you, and not for the last two hours," Jim replied, his voice firming up a bit but still very soft. "I wouldn't want to change what happened either time."

"Me either," Blair decided philosophically, humming as he let Jim urge him closer, until they were plastered together; cheek to cheek, chest to chest, thigh to thigh and legs entwined, Blair carefully arranging his to keep from putting any pressure on Jim's wound.

"What would you do over?" Jim asked into Blair's ear.

"Stupid question," Blair said without heat, then sighed. "So many things, but especially Alex and writing the diss."

"The diss brought us together," Jim said, startling Blair yet again. "I'm sorry about the way it turned out, but I'm not sorry you wrote it."

"You hated the diss," Blair pointed out, far too content to really care while Jim's hands were sweeping up and down his back and shoulders. He turned his face into Jim's neck and gave it a swipe with his tongue, savoring the salt taste of Jim's skin, and found Jim's answering shiver quite gratifying.

"I built it up in my mind into something that would eventually take you away from me," Jim admitted, his tone confessional-quiet. "I let it come between us."

"No, Jim, that's not-" Interrupted by Jim licking his ear, Blair almost lost his train of thought. "You didn't- I did- we-"

"Yeah, we, Sandburg. That's the way it's going to be from here on out. We," another lick "as in us," then a nip "together," and a soothing suckle of his lobe that brought Blair's nervous system to singing life.

In one of those cat-quick covert ops moves, Blair found himself flipped onto his back, Jim covering him like a warm, supple blanket.

"Your leg-" he protested, gasping when Jim rubbed against him.

"Fuck my leg," Jim said, hands in Blair's hair holding their gazes locked together. Blair had to grin, loving that determined face.

"I can do that," he said, pressing his hardening cock into the solidly muscled thigh between his legs, rewarded when Jim briefly grinned back.

"Will you do something else for me?" Jim asked, his smile fading a bit.

"Anything," Blair promised, meaning it. "I would do anything for you," he added recklessly, then winced at how absolutely sappy he sounded. Jim was smiling again, though, so he couldn't much regret saying it.

"I know you would. I really, truly get that now, Blair. What I need you to do is answer me honestly when I ask you... could you be happy staying on at Major Crime? Becoming my official partner?"

Stunned, Blair gaped up at Jim and blinked.

"But- I don't see how that could ever happen, Jim, not after-"

Jim silenced him with a kiss before drawing back, his eyes serious.

"That's not what I asked you, Chief. Forget about everything else and just answer me."

Blair didn't have to think about it. He'd admitted to himself months- hell, maybe even years ago -that he wanted nothing more than to be at Jim Ellison's side for the rest of his life. It was one of the reasons why he'd dragged his feet on finishing that damned dissertation in the first place. Academia had lost its appeal long ago, thanks to his own growing need to 'protect the tribe' with his sentinel. He gave a moment's thought to Jack Kelso's offer, then dismissed that, too.

"Yes."

"That's it? Just 'yes'?" Jim looked at him doubtfully and Blair snickered.

"Yes. Yes, I could be happy as long as I'm with you... and I like what we do- did on the job," he said, sobering all too quickly as the reality of the situation hit him once more.

"Will do again," Jim corrected softly, thumbs brushing hypnotically over his cheeks. "Trust me?"

"I can do that, too," Blair vowed, and pulled Jim's mouth back to his.

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