by Cindy Combs
Jim nodded, a single tear trailing down his cheek. "Instead, I wounded his spirit. I yelled at him, kicked him out of my home, called him stupid, told him I couldn't trust him. Then I left him out in the open, naked and alone, easy prey for that bitch. If I'd kept him with me, maybe he'd be okay now."
Mac gave him a stern look. "Or else she'd have killed him in the warehouse. And since when is Blair easy prey? You all had a part to play. Defending sentinel, invading sentinel, and guide. Just that history has lost the rule book and Blair hasn't finished rewriting it yet."
Jim wiped away the tear, fighting to regain his composure. "That is what I don't understand. How could she kill a guide? She's a sentinel, for Christ's sake. Doesn't she realize how precious a guide is?"
"Because Blair isn't HER guide," Mac pointed out. "She has lied and stolen and killed. She has in her possession a menace that can kill millions of people. Even if Blair hadn't already found you, he would never go along with that. He could never be her guide like he is yours. Yet he knew her secret and thus she had to destroy him." Mac felt a flash of anger. Blair would have helped her if he could and probably did. He didn't deserve to die.
If Mac's anger was a flame, Jim's was an inferno. "I am going to get that bitch," the sentinel softly vowed.
His own anger temporarily forgotten, Mac shivered at the ice in the determined blue eyes. "Jim..."
"No, Mac," Jim interrupted him. His eyes took on a feral gleam. "She invaded my territory, hurt my people, and attacked my guide. She is mine."
"Don't you have a few things to do first?" Meeting Jim's blank stare, Mac continued. "You have some fence-mending to do with your guide."
Shame and guilt raced across Jim's face. "If I can."
"Yes, you can," Mac scolded him. "Blair hasn't given up yet, so neither should we. He has some thinking to do as well. True, you should have never read his intro, kept the dream from him, or kicked him out. On the other hand, Blair should have never talked to Caroline without your permission. He should have told you about the other sentinel, especially considering how you were acting. Even Connors realized something was wrong, and she barely knows you. Most of all, he should been more cautious with this other sentinel. Blair needs to learn how to be a guide even more than you need to learn how to be a sentinel."
Jim ran his finger along the side of his cup, still looking guilty.
"Ellison," Mac stated firmly. "You have one advantage against this sentinel. You have a guide. Don't blow it now."
Jim continued to stare at his coffee, considering Mac's words. If Blair lived, would he still want to be his guide? If Blair didn't live, would anything even matter anymore?
"...Then this round, short woman comes into the bar. She grabbed the huge guy by the ear, and started to scold him! Man, I couldn't catch everything she said, but she really bawled him out for picking on gringos and being late to dinner. I'm not sure if she was his mother or wife, but *I* sure wouldn't want to cross her! Once she'd pulled him out, we left as fast as we could!"
Sam paused, gently rubbing his brother's limp hand. "You know, Indy, it would really help if you were awake and could laugh at my stories. You really have Dad and I worried. I'm just getting use to having a big brother. I don't want to lose you now." He glanced out the window. "Captain Banks and Inspector Connor are just outside. You're right, she is something else. You have them worried, too. And we're all worried about Jim. He's hurting, bro. He's trying to cover it up, but you can see it in his eyes. He hadn't budged from your bedside until Dad talked him into getting something to drink a few minutes ago. I'm afraid for him. If you don't open those big eyes of yours and tell him you're all right, he's going to fall to pieces."
"hmmm."
Sam's eyes suddenly widened. "Blair?" He straightened, peering into his brother's face. "Come on, Indy, let me know if you can hear me."
At the light squeeze on his hand, Sam hit the nurse's button.
Within minutes, Jim and Mac had joined Sam, Simon and Megan in front of Blair's room as the doctor checked him out. Rafe and Brown had also arrived, joining the anxious party.
"Mr. MacGyver?" the doctor called as he stepped outside.
"Yes?" Mac could feel the squeeze in his gut. Was Blair going to be all right?
"Someone must have heard your prayers. Your son will be fine, barring complications." Everyone breathed sighs of relief. "One person can go in for a few minutes, then he needs his rest. Would you like to go in, Mr. MacGyver?"
"Yeah," Mac replied, "but I suspect he needs to see Ellison more."
"Mac...," Jim began.
"He may not know if you survived your encounter with Alex, Jim. Go on." The two men exchanged looks. Then Jim walked into the room to see his guide.
Placing his hand over Blair's forehead, Jim felt the icy fear inside melt as the familiar blue eyes opened. "Welcome back, Chief."
Blair gave him a groggy frown. "You okay?" he croaked, then coughed.
"I'm fine, or I will be once we have a chance to talk. But it can wait."
The frown smoothed away as the guide drifted back into a healing sleep, comforted by the knowledge that his sentinel was back keeping watch.
The End
Author's note, 5/31/98: I currently don't plan to continue this. I'd rather Danny and Paul have a chance to finish this themselves. I have great faith that they aren't planning to make Blair's demise permanent (I didn't get that impression at all from theirs or GM's responses at the Con), so UPN better give them the chance.
Anyone interested in reading about Zadra's and mine adventures at the Con in Vancouver are welcome to check Zadra's site at http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Lot/5076/ for our report.
Cindy
