briarwood | Fic: Home For Christmas (Slash)

Title: Home For Christmas (Cry Wolf 'verse)
Fandom: Sentinel
Rating: Mature
Pairing: Jim/Blair
Warnings: Schmoop
Notes: Happy holidays to all my flist! This fic is set in my Cry Wolf 'verse. If you haven't read Cry Wolf all you really need to know is Blair is a werewolf, and both Jim and Blair left Cascade because of this. This story is the first Christmas after Blair was bitten.

Summary: Home is where the heart is.

HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

It was Christmas Eve and they had spent the entire day in the Jeep, their progress home painfully slow because of the snow. Blair argued they should have stayed in Cascade, but Jim was determined to get them back to Panther Creek before the roads became completely impassable. The full moon was a week away, but they couldn't be in Cascade when it came. Blair couldn't really argue with that. There was nowhere in Cascade where they could safely contain a bloodthirsty werewolf.

Usually, they would share the driving, but because the weather was so bad Jim wouldn't let Blair take a turn. He wanted the edge his enhanced senses gave him. Blair agreed, so did his best to keep Jim alert as they journeyed, a steady stream of conversation, jokes and commentary about whatever was on the radio. But even Blair couldn't talk for twelve hours straight, and he'd lapsed into silence, eventually resting his head against the window and drifting into sleep.

The front wheel of the Jeep hit something beneath the snow and Jim cursed as he hit the brakes. Blair jerked awake.

"Sorry, Chief." Jim shifted the Jeep into reverse, and turned the wheel as they moved, wheels sliding a little on the icy ground.

"'S'okay," Blair mumbled. He peered out into the twilight, seeing only snow and snow-covered trees. "Where are we?"

"Just past town." Jim pointed to their left where a wrought iron gate loomed out of the white landscape. "See, that's the Armstrongs' place. Almost home."

Blair forced a smile. The farmhouse still wasn't 'home' to him. They'd been in Cascade for only three days - a seasonal visit to join their old friends for the department's Christmas party - but Blair missed the city like crazy. He missed being part of Cascade P.D. He missed Rainier. He missed the compulsively neat loft with its balcony overlooking the river and Jim's big, cosy bed. The farmhouse they had worked so hard to restore still needed a lot of work. It was liveable now: all the walls were solid and insulated, the roof was fully repaired and the windows were sealed in their frames. Most of the rooms had floors, and the electrical fittings were all in place, so they had heating. There was even a backup generator in case the power failed. But it still felt half-finished to Blair. Not yet ready to be a home.

Blair shook himself, making an effort to push past his depression. This would be their first Christmas in Panther Creek. Jim had given up his whole life when he bought the farmhouse for them. His career with Cascade PD, his friends, even his family - he had left it all behind for Blair's sake. Because Blair got himself bitten by a werewolf, and now he was too dangerous to live in the big city. Blair had left things behind, too, but the truth was his career had been in the tank already. He'd had nothing left to lose...nothing except Jim. So he needed to stop being an ungrateful brat and make this Christmas a good one. He smiled at Jim as the Jeep turned into their driveway. It was Christmas. Time to be merry and bright, just like the song said.

Jim returned his smile. He leaned across to kiss Blair. Blair could smell the warm leather of Jim's coat as they kissed, and felt the softness of Jim's scarf brush against his skin. Jim's touch, Jim's love, banished his depression and Blair returned the kiss with enthusiasm.

"Welcome home, Chief," Jim said.

***

The master bedroom was one of two rooms that was completely finished, and Blair was grateful for that. He heaved his duffel onto the bed and started unpacking. The gift he'd bought for Jim lay at the bottom, wrapped in his clean sweater. He put his toothbrush and shaving gear away in the adjoining bathroom and dumped most of his clothing into the laundry hamper.

Jim came up behind him, sliding his hands around Blair's waist. Blair leaned back into his embrace.

"Are you hungry?" Jim asked, nuzzling Blair's neck.

Blair knew he should eat. His metabolism was different since the change. He needed to eat more, especially protein, just to stay healthy. But he felt too tired to cook and one disadvantage of their isolated home was they couldn't just order in. He turned in Jim's arms, reaching up for a kiss.

"I guess I should be, but I'm too tired, man. I just want to unpack and go to bed."

Jim grinned, an unmistakable twinkle in his eye. He tucked Blair's thick curls back behind his ear. "I must have some mistletoe around here somewhere," he suggested.

"You don't need it." Blair felt behind him without looking, grabbed the duffel and shifted it to the floor, pushing it under the bed with his foot. He moved slowly back toward the now-empty bed, drawing Jim with him.

***

On Christmas morning, Blair woke up alone. Sleepily, he reached across to Jim's side of the bed and found it cold. Jim must have been gone for a while. He started to sit up, but as the comforter fell away from his body the chill air made him grab it again.

He glanced toward the window. More snow had fallen while he slept and there was a thick layer of white at the bottom of the window frame. Blair snuggled further under the comforter, a little reluctant to leave the warmth of the bed even if it was Christmas Day. He closed his eyes, hoping he would fall asleep again.

But sleep wouldn't come. Blair slid out of bed and hot-footed it to the bathroom, hoping there would be some hot water left. He turned on the shower and waited. The initial gush of water was no more than warm but after a moment - hallelujah! - it turned hot. Blair jumped under the jet quickly: the hot water might not last long.

He was wrapped in towels and a damp bathrobe, just finishing his morning shave when Jim appeared in the doorway.

"Rise and shine, Rip van Winkle." Jim was dressed for the winter cold: jogging pants with a knitted sweater. A red scarf dangled around his neck as if he'd been outside and forgotten to take it off.

Blair turned, wiping the remnants of shaving foam from his face with a towel. "Morning, Jim," he replied, deliberately not mentioning the holiday because Jim hadn't mentioned it either.

"I made coffee, and breakfast is ready to go." Jim sounded just a little bit smug. "C'mon."

"Coffee!" Blair grinned. "Just let me get dressed first. It's cold!" He dressed as fast as he could: thick wool socks, jeans, a t-shirt followed by a shirt and a warm sweater. Thus braced against the day, he followed Jim. He expected Jim to lead him into the kitchen, but Jim took him into the living room.

And all Blair could do was stare.

When they left for their trip to Cascade, this room had been a mess: the furniture still covered with plastic sheeting, no carpet on the floor and no curtains, which in this northern winter, were a necessity. Now the room was transformed. A big red and blue rug covered most of the floor. Matching curtains hung at the windows. A log fire burned in the grate, and had evidently been burning for some time, because the room was warm. The plastic sheeting was gone from the couch and chairs. But there was more. In one corner, Jim had placed a Christmas tree - a real tree that filled the room with a delicate pine scent, decorated with tinsel and lights. There were holly boughs hanging from the ceiling.

"Jim! When did you have time to do this?"

"I had the tree and holly delivered while we were visiting Cascade. The rest...I got up early and tidied the room while you were sleeping."

Blair turned to him, his eyes shining. "It's great. Really great, man."

Jim shrugged. "It's Christmas. Sit down. I'll get your coffee."

Blair thought of the gift he had waiting for Jim and considered running to get it, but Jim seemed to want him to wait. He didn't want to spoil whatever Jim was planning.

Jim returned with a steaming mug of coffee in each hand. He gave one to Blair, who sipped it at once. The slightly bitter taste burst on his tongue, driving away the last remnants of sleep. The coffee was the perfect temperature: hot, but not hot enough to burn his mouth. Of course, Jim's senses made him amazingly good at judging things like that.

Blair smiled and leaned back into the couch, sighing contentedly.

Jim sat down beside him, placing his coffee on the table in front of them. "I know you miss Cascade," he said, "but I wanted this Christmas to be just the two of us. Next year the house will be finished and we can invite Naomi and Stephen and everyone else if you like."

"It's perfect," Blair agreed.

"I have a gift for you," Jim said, and suddenly Blair detected a hint of nerves in his voice.

He smiled and waited.

Jim drew a small box from his pocket. It wasn't wrapped, but it was tied with a gold ribbon. He offered it to Blair.

Blair shook the box next to his ear, pretending he was trying to discover the contents. From the box's size, it had to be something from a jeweller; perhaps a new watch. He studied the intricate bow for a moment, then pulled on the ribbon. The ribbon came loose and slithered off the box into his lap. Blair opened the box.

It was a ring: a heavy but undecorated silver band with a bevelled edge, like a wedding ring. But Jim knew Blair couldn't wear silver. He frowned, confused.

"It's not silver," Jim explained, seemingly reading Blair's mind. "It's what they call white gold: a gold and platinum alloy."

"It's beautiful."

"It's...I know we can't get married. Not legally. But I thought we could do it anyway. You know, invite our friends here in spring, and make our promises."

Blair stared at him. They'd talked about getting married before, but there was no state where it would be legal. Blair had thought that this new home, and literally building it together, was as close as they could get. It was a way of telling the world that they were a couple, inseparable. That was enough.

But maybe it wasn't. It meant a lot to Blair that Jim wanted to make that kind of commitment to him, especially now that he was...different. Blair reached across to Jim, taking both of his hands. "If you get down on one knee, I'm gonna put chilli in your toothpaste," he threatened. "But I think it's a great idea. Yes. Let's do it!"

Jim's answering smile was all the Christmas gift Blair needed. He shifted closer to Jim on the couch. Jim moved at the same time and the next moment they were kissing. Blair let the small box fall onto the couch between them and raised himself up to crawl on top of Jim. Jim laughed into the kiss. Blair ended up straddling Jim's lap, with Jim's arms tight around him. He drew back from the kiss, just a little, just enough to look into Jim's eyes.

"Happy Christmas, Jim," he whispered.

When Jim's lips met his again, Blair knew he didn't care about the unfinished house, or the life he had left behind. Right here in Jim's arms, he was home.

~ End ~

Also posted on AO3: http://archiveofourown.org/works/71606

Fic: Home For Christmas (Slash)

HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

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