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2024-09-12
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Falling

Summary:

They are detectives after all.

Notes:

I'm a tad reluctant to post this story. For years I hated this story. HATED it. I was content never to let it see the light of day again. But, since StarWatcher put it on her list and as a memorial to Julie, I'm willing to post it here.

Just remember as writers, we grow over time. This was one of my very first forays into the fandom.

Originally published: 01/13/2002.

Original Notes: This was originally written as a "Gift Fic" for a seriously ill SentinelAngst list member, Julie Goldwyn, who liked stories about Blair falling.

Unfortunately, Julie never came home. She may be gone, but she is not forgotten.

Warning: Blair is a cop in this story.

*-*-*-*-*-*

Work Text:

"Why do criminals always go up instead of down?" Detective Blair Sandburg muttered to himself as he began to climb the scaffolding before him.

Ernesto Rodriguez, right-hand man to Diego Menundo Salvarez, had been spotted shopping at a mall in downtown Cascade.

A rookie cop, shopping for his wife's birthday over his lunch break, had spotted and recognized Rodriguez from his morning roll call rap sheets and called it in to his superiors. Whereupon, he was ordered to follow, but not detain, Rodriguez until backup arrived. Besides there being numerous warrants for his arrest, it was generally believed that if Rodriguez could be made to talk, they would be able to bring down Cascade's main pipeline of drugs from South America. The Chief of Police had ordered every spare officer pulled from their current assignment for the manhunt.

Ernesto had quickly felt the net closing around him, and had, for reasons unknown, headed for the roof with the detectives from Major Crimes hot on his heels.

While grateful the whole incident hadn't turned into a hostage situation or a blood bath, Blair couldn't help but wonder if there was a genetic reason for fleeing criminals to head for roofs.

The scaffolding ran like a huge metal spider web over a glass window which steeped like a child's drawing of a roof top over the mall's common area. Because of leakage problems during Cascade's numerous rainstorms, the mall owners had decided to put a more dome like structure over the opening. While the scaffolding was up, the project had yet to get underway.

Blair permitted himself the briefest of glances down, and had not been surprised to see a crowd gathering beneath the window watching the pursuit. At least that was a psychology he understood.

"C'mon, Ernesto. You have nowhere else to go," Jim boomed out as Blair took several steps onto the metal mesh of bars.

Joel, Rafe and Henri had the other possible exits off the scaffolding covered. Slowly, as by some unspoken command, they all began moving slowly toward Rodriguez.

Rodriguez spun around, desperate to find an escape route, but found nothing. Realizing there was nowhere else to flee, he withdrew his pistol from his jacket. Chaos reigned as the officers began shouting for him to drop his weapon as they pulled their own out of their holsters.

"Muerte antes deshonora," Rodriguez shouted and pointed the gun at his temple.

"Jim!" Blair shouted, when he realized their prey was not going to fire at them.

Being the closest, the Sentinel jumped forward, and struggled for the gun, desperately trying to keep his suspect from committing suicide.

The gun went off and for a split second Blair's heart stopped, terrified that Jim had been struck. However, surprise was the only thought he had, when the bullet entered his shoulder, spinning him with great force. He grabbed desperately for the railing, but realized he had missed before oblivion swallowed him whole.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Ellison," Joel whispered in near panic as Jim finished cuffing Rodriguez and pulled him to his feet.

Jim looked up at his friend and when he realized Joel wasn't looking at him, followed his gaze to his partner's inert form on the crackling glass beneath them.

"SANDBURG!" he bellowed as he raced to Taggert's position, but the form beneath them did not respond. "Blair, buddy, answer me." But silence was his only answer.

It didn't take sentinel sight or hearing to see the cracks in the glass spread out from his friend's fallen form like water spreading from a new found spring. He could see the horror stricken faces of the civilians beneath them looking up at the unfolding drama.

"Henri, give Rodriguez to the nearest uniform you can find and have the area beneath us cleared immediately," Joel shouted, taking charge, but then stared down at Blair's back trying to find any evidence of life.

"Is he alive?" Rafe asked no one in particular, trying to ignore Ellison as he paced back and forth in front of them like a caged panther, his eyes never leaving his partner.

"Jim. JIM," Joel yelled, placing a hand on his friend's back. "Close your eyes and concentrate on Blair's heartbeat. Can you hear it?"

Jim started to comply then looked at his friend is disbelief.

"You don't really think we thought Blair was a fraud, do you?" Rafe asked with a scoffing smile, but returned his gaze down at the man in question.

Jim closed his eyes and focused on finding the precious sound.

There.

"Yes, he's alive," he whispered, "but unconscious."

"We'll deal with one thing at a time," Joel said quietly. "Rafe, any possibility you can maneuver that crane arm over here so that Jim can hang off it and reach Blair?"

"On it," the young detective shouted, turning and running for the vehicle.

"Jim. Jim. Stay with me," Joel said, putting his hand on Jim's arm.

"He's bleeding," the detective said quietly. "I can smell it, but I don't see any evidence of it."

"We'll get him to the hospital as soon as we get him up. Can you handle this, Jim? JIM!"

"I can do it."

"Good, because we're both going to get on the crane's arm when it comes. You concentrate on getting Blair. I'll concentrate on you," Joel said with a calmness that belied his pounding heart.

Jim looked up at his friend and nodded and watched as the arm swung toward them. The glass beneath them screaming its protest at the undue pressure on it.

"We're almost out of time," Jim whispered, climbing quickly onto the metal support of the crane.

Joel climbed on slightly behind him, wrapping his arms around Jim's legs and the metal frame of the arm.

Jim motioned downward and the crane moved with tiny jerks towards the glass beneath them.

"He's coming to," Jim shouted as Blair's faint moans reached his ears above the cacophony of machine rumblings and crackling glass.

"Hold still, Chief. Don't move," Jim shouted again, his fingers barely grazing the back of his friend's jacket.

"'im?" Blair moaned, opening his eyes and seeing the scene beneath him.

"Jim," he huffed out as he pushed himself off the glass in a panic, his natural survival instincts kicking in.

The glass cracked like the sound of Willie Mayes hitting a home run as it began to crumble to the ground thirty feet beneath them. Lunging forward, Jim wrapped his arms around his partner's chest, roaring his defiance at death as the other side of the glass roof followed its mate downward.

Rafe began moving the crane's arm as soon as he saw Ellison's arms clench around his partner.

"Jim, let me have him. Let me have him," Henri yelled when they were finally over the gravel covered roof.

Reluctantly, Jim released his partner and was impressed by how gently Brown cradled and lowered Blair to the ground.

Joel released Jim's legs and watched his friend roll off the crane and kneel beside his partner. In an instant, the rest surrounded their fallen colleague.

"Bullet entered his shoulder, but went out the other side. It's a clean exit," Jim said quietly as he pulled off his own shirt and applied it firmly to both sides of the injured area.

Blair moaned again and looked up at his friends, who stood and kneeled beside him. "I bet the next time I say I feel like a bug on the windshield of life you'll believe me," he smiled wanly and closed his eyes again.

"Next time, Hairboy? There better not be a next time. I'm getting too old for this shit," Henri exclaimed quietly.

"Bet you're starting to appreciate me, huh, H?" Rafe laughed as he punched his friend in the shoulder.

Joel gently gathered Blair in his arms and handed him to his partner. "What say you take your partner to the hospital and we'll head to the loft and start dinner. I'm tired of pretending not to know what we all know is true. I think it's time you two came clean."

"Did Joel say he was cooking?" Blair asked quietly, drifting back into consciousness briefly.

"That's what I heard," Jim said quietly as he headed for the door leading down, surprisingly not dreading the coming explanation.

"Count me in," Blair murmured quietly.

"How come you never carry me like that?" Rafe asked in a falsetto voice as he tried to jump into his partners arms.

"Cause you're heavier than crap. Get off me, man," Henri laughed as he pushed his friend.

Joel closed his eyes briefly and gave thanks. They had made it through another day and Lord willing they would continue to make it through the days.

But with a sentinel and guide in the department, how could they go wrong?

--End--