It took all of Jim's will not to just close the door in her face, but years of training, personal and professional kicked in before he could actually shut the door. He wanted to, damn did he want to, she had no business to be here, just seeing her expression gave him a bad feeling, this didn't bode well for his roommate at all.
"Maya."
"Hi"
"You want to see Sandburg? He's in his room, just go on through."
Jim watched as she walked towards Sandburg's room, and rubbed a weary hand across his face. Maya certainly didn't look like someone visiting someone they loved, her shoulders were tense and she was unable to look him in the eye. He had a feeling that Blair was going to be hurt very soon and there wasn't a thing that he could do to prevent it. He'd warned Blair not to get so involved, but the warning had been ignored and now the consequence would be a broken heart. He had no doubt that Blair did think that he loved Maya, maybe he did, maybe it was lust parceled like love, what ever it was it was about to come crashing down and for that he was sorry.
"Jim is everything ok?"
For a minute he'd forgotten that Drennan was in the room with him, the ATF agent had been left stirring the chow mein as Jim had stared after Maya and was now looking at him, a concerned expression on her face.
"It's ok…she just wants to talk to Sandburg."
"You don't look too happy about that."
Edging Drennan from the stove Jim began stirring again, needing to do something distracting. The urge to listen in to Blair's conversation was overpowering and it took all his will to keep his attention on his guest. The issue of privacy was something that the roommates were still very conscious about. If he wanted to Jim could hear and smell everything that Blair did. That was uncomfortable for them both so hours had been spent fine-tuning Jim's senses to automatically filter out most of Sandburg's activities, giving both the illusion of privacy. Of course times like this he skirted close to blatantly eavesdropping.
"You don't like her do you?"
Focussing towards Drennan once more Jim gave her suggestion some thought. It wasn't that he disliked Maya, looking at the situation from her side he could see why she felt betrayed by Blair, and she'd came through in the end spilling the beans on her father's operation but somehow he had the feeling that behind that innocent façade was someone who played his partner like a fool. He'd never seen Sandburg so gone over a woman, and he should have been pleased, yet from the start he'd known that the relationship would end, maybe it was a cop thing, maybe a Sentinel thing, or most probably a friendship thing that made him just know that the relationship was uneven and that Maya would hurt his friend, so yeah he guessed he didn't like her.
"I don't dislike her it's just…"
"She's going to break Blair's heart."
"What, how do you figure that?"
"Oh come on Jim, I might be a Fed but I'm a woman as well you know, and that girl's going in there to deliver a personal dear John, that's why you don't like her. It's a partner thing."
"Partner thing?"
"Yeah you know, he's your partner, hurt him hurt you, all that stuff. I've told you once partners protect each other, and that includes broken hearts."
Abandoning the noodles for a moment Jim stopped to consider what he'd heard. He'd always prided himself on his sense of fair play, not judging people unjustly, so was it possible that his dislike for Maya was because of her treatment of Blair? Thinking about Sandburg telling him that he was in love he decided that yeah, he could. If anyone hurt Blair they'd deal with him, even if all he could do was disapprove from a distance.
"You're one smart lady…for a fed."
"You're not so bad yourself…for a detective"
Laughing at the familiar banter Jim started to dish out noodles content to smile and chat while keeping attention towards Blair's room. He might have a guest but no way would he leave Blair alone with a broken heart. Hearing the curtain move Jim turned to see Maya leave, her face sad with regret, maybe she did love Blair a little, maybe he should spare her some sympathy, but not yet, not when he knew his friend's heart would have been shattered within a few minutes. He watched as the beautiful woman turned to him,
"I'm sorry…I didn't know, I'm sorry ok."
With those halting words she left the loft and hopefully their lives for good. Shutting the door silently Jim turned towards Blair's room. The need to check on him overwhelming, but what could he say? What excuse could he make to go in uninvited?
"Here, take this. He has to eat"
Turning he saw that Drennan was holding a bowl of chow mein towards him. Smiling in appreciation he took the bowl and walked to Blair's room, hovering in the doorway. Seeing Blair sitting on his bed hardened Jim's heart against Maya once more, he looked as devastated as Jim had ever seen him, eyes full of unshed tears. He was obviously hurting and bad, and there wasn't a thing that he could do that would make it better. Seeing Blair look at him Jim thought he'd better explain his presence.
"Have you been talking to Drennan? I'm trying to have a little Chinese food here and she's trying to tell me that MSG is a hallucinogen. I think she needs some talking to. Would you straighten her out?
Seeing that Blair wasn't going to take the bait Jim held the noodles towards him, hoping that appetite would win where he hadn't."
"Want some noodles?"
"Not right now, okay, Jim"
Saddened at the dismissal Jim turned to leave,
"All right."
Pausing outside of the curtain he noticed that Drennan was pulling on her coat, hurrying he dumped the noodles on the table and gestured towards her."
"You're leaving, you don't have to you know, stay, really it's ok."
"I think Blair needs you more than me tonight Jim, I've had a great time, really I have but remember partners protect each other, and that includes times like this."
Beginning to automatically argue the point Jim stopped as he picked up the faint scent of salty tears in the air. Blair was crying, Drennan was right Blair did need him more at least for tonight.
"I don't know what to say, maybe we can take a rain check?"
"Maybe, I've enjoyed working with you, once that fed shaped chip was knocked from your shoulders. I guess you know that fed's are ok now."
"Well at least one, thanks…for everything"
"You're welcome Jim, now go, see to your partner."
With a one handed hug Drennan smiled then left the loft, leaving Jim with a cooling chow mein and a crying roommate. He felt awkward deliberately invading Blairs' privacy like this, but he was upset and no way would he leave him alone. They were partners and one thing he knew partners protect each other, not just the big cop things but the personal ones as well. Blair was his partner and he'd be there for him, whether he wanted him or not.
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