All is Well
http://owl.heggen.net

by Kimberly Heggen

This is a short piece I wrote for DawnC’s Sentinel Angst List, sometime in June of 1999... although it doesn’t really contain any angst, or even all that much plot. Just the warm glow of friendship. Based on a train trip I had to take... would have been much more fun with Jim and Blair!

Summary: Jim shows his compassionate side.

Spoilers: none

Ratings: G

For Becky and Robyn, who said, “Awwwww!”

 

As the train eased into the high plateau just east of the Oregon Cascades, Jim shifted again in the too-hard seat for what felt like the hundredth time. He nudged his long legs just a fraction of an inch more into the aisle, hoping he wouldn't accidentally trip some poor passenger trying to walk about the coach car. He wrapped his long arms about his middle, trying to suppress the growling of his stomach. His body's demands for food seemed incredibly loud to his Sentinel-acute hearing; he could only hope that the impressive low rumblings were inaudible to the others seated around him.

He turned slightly to look out of the window at the faint glow of the dying sunset, seeing the conical peaks of the mountains etched against the sky. After a few moments, he let his gaze travel down to the disheveled figure in the seat by the window. His Guide, curled up into the seat and clutching an old wool throw about himself, sat with eyes closed and cheek pressed up against the cold window. Blair had already been short on sleep when they'd boarded the train. Ironically, he'd stayed awake through the more-familiar Washington portion of the trip. and he'd dropped off some time after they'd passed through Eugene. Jim had toyed with the idea of waking him, since he knew his friend was excited about the scenery to be seen in this portion of the trip, but he hadn't had the heart.

Was it only a week ago that Sandburg had gotten the e-mail message that had begun this trip?

Jim had come home to find his Guide sitting in front of the laptop, his face downcast.

"Hey, Chief. Why the long face?" he'd asked, slightly concerned.

Blair had shaken his head. "Sad news, but nothing too unexpected. My friend Sean, from my undergrad days...his dad's been sick for a long time, with cancer. He died last night."

"Sorry to hear that, Chief. You think your friend's holding up okay?"

He'd nodded. "He sounds relieved, actually. He's flying down tomorrow." Blair's face grew distant. "The funeral is Saturday, Jim. I...think I might try to go. I think Sean would like it if I was there for him. His dad was always nice to me, and Sean helped me through a lot of crap in college."

Jim had frowned. "Chief, your car will never make it that far. I hope you're going to fly."

"Maybe," Sandburg sighed. "If I can afford it. But, if I can't, I'll take the train. I've been looking at the Amtrak website. If I take Friday off, I can be down in Sacramento by Saturday morning, and there's a return train at midnight. I'm pretty sure Sean could pick me up at the station and take me back afterwards."

"Sandburg, that's a awfully long time to ride on a train, just to go to a funeral. Are you sure?" Jim had hesitated for a second. "I could loan you the money for a plane ticket, or maybe we could both go down in the truck."

"No, it's okay, Jim. I've always wanted to take the Coast Starlight, anyway. It's supposed to go through some absolutely gorgeous scenery in the Oregon Cascades. And traveling by train is better for the environment. And I'll meet interesting people. And if I pack some food for myself, it won't cost me very much." Blair had reassured him. "Really. I'll be fine."

Jim had thought about Blair's words for a few more minutes, then put a hand on his Guide's shoulder as Blair picked up the phone to reserve the train ticket.

"Make that two tickets, Chief."

 

* * * * * *

 

Now, he glanced at his watch, and smiled enigmatically to himself as he reached over to shake Blair.

"Hey, Chief, wake up," he said softly. Blair sat up and knuckled his eyes.

"Uhh...oh, sorry, Jim. I didn't mean to be such a boring travel companion." Blair's teeth glowed white in the semidarkness as he flashed them in that easy smile that fit his face so well. "Thanks again for coming along, man."

"Nothing to be sorry about, Chief. But it's time for dinner."

"Oh..." Blair seem to deflate slightly. "You go on down to the snack bar and get something, Jim. I've got some sandwiches in my pack."

"Nope." Jim found himself grinning at his Guide. "Get up. While you were studying the inside of your eyes, I got us reservations for the last seating in the dining car. Real food, Chief. You can eat your sandwiches tomorrow."

"Oh, geez, Jim...that sounds wonderful, but I..." Blair hesitated, and Jim interrupted him before he could finish his sentence.

"I know you can't afford it, Chief. This is on me. I've always wanted to eat in the dining car on a train." He stood up carefully to avoid hitting his head on the luggage rack, and held out a hand to pull his friend to his feet. "I'm not going to go eat by myself, so just forget it, Sandburg."

Blair grinned and pantomimed having his left arm twisted. "Okay, Jim. No need to get forceful. I'll go peacefully."

 

* * * * * *

 

The dinner proved to be relaxing and pleasant. Not really Jim's kind of food, but he could see that Blair was enjoying himself hugely.

"This is so cool, Jim! I feel like I'm in an old black-and-white movie or something." He snickered. "'Course, if this really was an old movie, you'd be a gorgeous stacked redhead with some deadly secret to tell me."

 

Jim chuckled. "You'll have to settle for me, Sandburg. I'm safer. Besides,

if it was black-and-white, how would you know she's a redhead?"

 

"Uhh...you got me, Jim. Wait for Ted Turner to do the colorized version, I

guess." Blair smiled sheepishly, then yawned.

 

"You want dessert, Chief?" Jim studied the limited dessert menu.

"I'd fall asleep in it, Jim. Besides...I'm pretty full. I think I'm ready to go back and conk out."

 Jim paid the bill, and they walked slowly back to their seats, stopping off briefly first in the undersized restrooms and then in the observation lounge.

"That's Klamath Lake down there," Blair pointed out. "It's the largest naturally-occurring freshwater lake west of the Mississippi." He sank down into one of the chairs. "The Modoc War took place somewhere around here."

"Refresh my memory, Chief."

"I don't know much myself. They were an Indian tribe who refused to give up and go to the reservation, I think. Most of them were eventually slaughtered." Blair yawned again, in the middle of apparently trying to say something else. Jim caught at his elbow.

"C'mon, zombie boy. You need some sleep more than I need a history lesson. I don't want to deal with a grumpy, sleep-deprived Guide in the morning."

 

* * * * * *

 

With the lights out in the coach car, the only illumination came from the moonlight shining through the windows. Jim had no problems, but Blair stumbled slightly in his fatigue, nearly pitching into a chair-back before Jim steadied him. When the two reached their seats, Jim pushed Blair gently down into the window seat while he retrieved a couple of the tiny Amtrak-issued pillows and handed one to his friend.

"Here. It's not much, but it's better than having your face up against that cold window."

"Thanks, Jim," murmured Blair, wrapping his throw about him again and seeming to dissolve instantly into sleep as Jim watched.

Jim tugged the curtain closed over the window, then leaned his seat back and fussed with the leg- and foot-rests. All right, not the most comfortable sleeping arrangements he'd ever had...but it was a good deal better than say, sleeping in the jungle without survival gear. Old training took over, and he found himself drawn into a light sleep by the rhythmic rocking of the train and the soft but regular snoring beginning to issue from the curly-headed lump at his side.

Some time later, he woke abruptly. Briefly disoriented, he looked around himself in the dark to see what had caused him to awaken. Ah...Blair had bumped into him, and was still squirming around in a half-awake attempt to get comfortable. Jim could see that Blair's pillow had slipped to the floor, and he reached down and picked it up.

He was contemplating whether or not to fully wake Blair or just try to stuff the pillow back under his friend's head, when the train jolted slightly. The motion threw his Guide's head against his shoulder, where it stayed. Slightly embarrassed, Jim started to move Blair back to lean against the window...

...then he noticed the way Blair's heartbeat dipped back down as he settled comfortably back into a deep sleep with his head pillowed on the Sentinel's broad shoulder.

"Oh, what the hell," Jim muttered to himself. "It's dark in here, and if it helps him sleep..."

He slipped his arm around the younger man’s shoulders, loosening Blair's blanket to draw it across both of them, raising the other hand to stroke the curly hair lightly a few times. Yes, that was better. More comfortable, and, he had to admit, soothing to himself as well. What was it about the young man's presence that could lull Jim to sleep so effectively? That could prompt Jim to display affection that he rarely felt towards any other human being?

He stiffened as Blair lifted his head slightly, opening sleep-fogged eyes. "Jim?" he murmured. "Oh...sorry." Blair stayed where he was, though.

"You dropped your pillow, Chief," Jim whispered into the ear that was a few inches from his own. "Do you want it back?"

"Don' need a pillow," came the answer, sub-vocalized for Sentinel hearing. "Just you."

Jim smiled into the darkness, touched by the trust his friend was showing even in his half-awake state. Blair would probably be embarrassed in the morning, but for now, this was right.

"Go back to sleep, Chief," he murmured. "All is well."

 

 

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© 1999-2001 by Kimberly Heggen. All rights reserved.
The characters of Jim Ellison, Blair Sandburg, Simon Banks, and the remaining recurring characters that were blatantly lifted from the scenes of the television show The Sentinel are the property of Pet Fly Productions. No ownership of these characters is expressed or implied.
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