LOST CHANCE
MISSING SCENES
Just what happened when Alex showed up, anyway?

The case file with Alex Barnes’s rap sheet was dropped in front of him.  He looked up at his pacing partner imploringly.

"I had no idea she could be involved in the Oberon case.  She was a possible DUI that Megan was questioning.  I overheard her complaining about her senses and talked to her.  I realized she was enhanced.  I didn’t say much.  I just asked her enough about her accident to get information about the sensory spikes."

"Why didn't you tell me about her?"  The words were ground out accusingly.

"I didn't get a chance to.  When I came over to your place to talk to you about finding another possible sentinel you pulled a gun on me!"

"I remember, I thought I heard something growling in the hallway."

"Then you pulled me into the apartment and we didn't talk at all.  We’ve been so busy on the Oberon case that I haven’t thought about her since."

"I took you straight to bed.  The call about Oberon woke us up.  You've seen her again."  It wasn’t a question.

"She cornered me outside Wong's Chinese at lunch."

"She’s stalking you?"

"I don’t think so.  That’s the only time I’ve seen her since the night Megan questioned her."

"What did she want?"  His partner was leaning into him threateningly.

"Sandburg, she said she knew what I was.  That she was the same.  I told her I didn’t know what she was talking about.  You dropped this on me as soon as soon I got back."

"Megan got her address.  I want to meet Alex Barnes and find out what she wants with my sentinel."

Ellison followed the enraged Sandburg out of the bullpen.  In the garage, they took Sandburg’s black Ford Explorer.  He had gotten used to letting Sandburg drive when they were on duty.  It was one more aspect of deferring to the Alpha in his life.

Barnes’ apartment was a converted loft in a building that catered to artists.  Sandburg knocked on the door.  Ellison frowned.  There was something wrong here.  He grabbed his partner and pulled him away from the door and back down the hall.

Just in time to avoid the explosion.

"You saved my life."

"Isn’t that what partners are supposed to do?"

They were picking through the debris of Barnes’ apartment with the help of a forensics team.

"Sentinel protected the Guide."

"About time don’t you think?"  Blair’s unaccustomed praise warmed Jim.

"I’m sorry about the bullpen."  The apology was a downright shock.

"Maybe it’s a territory thing."

"I don’t know.  But we do have to catch this lady.  If she is enhanced like you and she’s using her senses to pull jobs like Oberon, she’s more dangerous than an ordinary thief."

"She doesn’t have a Guide to help her like I do.  She can’t control the senses.  The security tapes at Oberon showed her having problems when the alarm went off."

"Hopefully that will give us the advantage we need to find her."

Jim hoped this was a turning point in their relationship.

The wolf's throat was torn and bleeding as the spotted jaguar roared over her kill.  The black jaguar lay helpless chained behind her.  The wolf morphed into Blair lying naked and bleeding.  The spotted jaguar became a cruel and laughing Alex Barnes.

Jim woke screaming.   Blair was there, shaking him awake.  The light on the nightstand was on.

"Easy, Jim.  It's just a nightmare."  Blair had insisted that Jim stay at his place until Barnes was caught.  Since the explosion, Blair had wanted Jim close.    Jim hadn't argued.  He had just packed a few things in a bag and moved into Blair's spare room.  If they weren't having sex, they didn't share a bed.

"No, Blair.  It was more."  Surprisingly, Blair sat down to listen.

"I know you meditate.  You know about visions, " Jim began hesitantly.

"Go on."

"I saw Barnes as a spotted jaguar.  She had the black jaguar chained and she ripped out the Wolf's throat while she made the black jaguar watch.   Then the Wolf morphed into you and I woke up."

"You think this is a warning."

"She's already tried to kill us once.  She's fixated on me.  The black jaguar was chained, Blair.  You've been keeping me on a pretty short leash, too, come to think of it."

Blair thought about his behavior and realized Jim was right.

"I'm sorry."

Jim laughed.

"Two apologies in one week.  Is the world ending?"

Blair frowned.

"Do I treat you that badly, Jim?"

Jim just shook his head and closed his eyes.

"Jim?"

Jim opened his eyes and saw something in Blair's he hadn't seen for more than three years.  Blair was beginning to respect him again.  To believe in the Sentinel again.

"We're okay, Blair."

I just wish that you loved me.

"Think you can sleep now?"

"Now that I've warned you, I can."

Blair claimed his mouth briefly and left him alone.

Jim knew that there would be a confrontation between Barnes and Blair.  He never expected it to be over a pair of canisters of VX nerve gas.  What the hell was Rainier University doing with nerve gas?

Blair's analysis of the plans stolen from Oberon and the evidence found at Barnes' apartment had led them to Rainier.  Thankfully, Blair still had contacts at his alma mater and they had been waiting for Barnes when she had attempted to break into the vault containing the nerve gas.  Backup had been called.

Blair hadn't expected that she would incapacitate Jim using weapons that directly affected his senses, before attacking Blair physically.  Jim struggled to regain control of his senses by using what Blair had taught him.

As his vision began to clear, he roared furiously as he saw Barnes using a knife on Blair.  Jim rushed forward and grabbed the woman from behind. He forced her to drop the knife and flung her against a wall.  The impact knocked her cold.

Blair was bleeding badly.  Jim stripped off his jacket and shirt to staunch the bleeding.

"No, you can't die."

Their backup rushed into the room.  One officer took care of Barnes.

"Get an ambulance!"  Jim screamed.

"Jim."

"Don't talk, Blair"

"Have to tell you," he winced in pain.

"Please, Blair.  Just hold on."

Blair smiled, but his eyes closed.

"No!"

Jim put his hands on either side of Blair's head.

The world turned blue.  The jaguar raced forward chasing the wolf.   It got in front of the silver gray animal and growled, blocking its path to the light.  The wolf turned back and trotted by the jaguar's side.  Suddenly, it turned to the jaguar and looked into its lonely eyes.   The jaguar held its head high.  They moved toward each other and melted into one.

The world returned.

Paramedics were loading Blair onto a stretcher.  Jim was being gently moved aside so they could work.

At the hospital, when Jim was finally allowed to see Blair, he didn't know what to say.

Blair surprised him when he took his hand and pulled him down for a kiss.

"She couldn't beat my kitten."

"Kitten?"  Jim laughed.  Blair had given him a nickname.

"My sexy little jaguar kitten."

Jim blushed.  He sat on the edge of Blair's bed in the trauma unit.

"Seriously, Jim.  You do know you are mine, don't you?"

"I think I've always known."

"But do you know that I'm yours?"

What was Blair saying?

"Do you, Jim?"

"You're my guide, " Jim whispered.

"More than that.  I saw the wolf and jaguar merge, too."

Jim looked up.

"This is forever, Jim."

Jim smiled.   Blair was his.