"Jim! Have you seen my gown?" Yet another plaintive cry rang out from Blair's room.
Jim smiled over his coffee cup. "Check the closet, Chief."
"How'd did you know...Jim!" Blair ran into the living room, carrying his cap, his gown and a plastic suit bag. "What is this?"
"Looks like your gown, Sandburg."
"Jim...Jim, why was there a suit bag in my closet? I don't own a suit."
"Try it on. Maybe you do."
"What am I going to do with a suit? I don't need a suit, man."
"Mr. Blair Sandburg, professional grad student, didn't need a suit. Dr. Blair Sandburg, associate professor, does. Unless you were planning to wear *that* to your graduation." Jim nodded to Blair's shorts and t-shirt. *Even though you look sexier than hell dressed that way.* He shifted in his chair.
"Actually, I was. I mean, Cascade gets one day of real summer a year, and today had to be it! It's going to be 90 degrees out there. It's not like anyone's going to see what I'm wearing under this. If I could get away with it, I'd go nude."
*Don't do that to me, Blair. These pants are tight enough.* "Aren't they holding the ceremonies inside?"
"Yeah, but the auditorium is going to be packed anyway. Do you know how hard I had to scramble to get extra seats for Simon and Megan? The combined body heat is going to be enormous. It'll overwhelm the air conditioning." He paced around the room, still holding the clothing.
"Sandburg, sit down and eat something. You're making me nervous."
"I'm too excited to sit. And I'm not wearing the suit."
"So only I get to suffer?" Jim glanced down at himself.
"Oh, man. That's new, isn't it? You bought a new suit for yourself?" Jim could see Blair eyeing him. Jim stood up, straightened his tie and oh, so casually tossed the suit jacket over his shoulder. *Yeah, there's that heartbeat. Today, Blair, today we will really celebrate.* He knew he looked good in the shades of blue and gray he was wearing, and that the suit fit him perfectly. "I needed something to wear at the party the unit is throwing you."
"Oh, my God. I forgot. Look, Jim, I'll take it with me and change as soon as I can. But who got me the suit? You did. I can't take this..."
"Of course you can, Chief. Consider it a graduation present. Try it on first. I had to guess at the measurements." Blair nodded and bounced back into his room, leaving his gown crumpled by the sofa. Jim smiled and picked it up again.
The phone rang. "Ellison."
"Jim, where's the kid?"
"Simon, what's wrong?"
"There's a nasty rumor that there may be an incident at the graduation. I don't think it's more than a rumor, but since the vice-president's speaking, I'm taking extra precautions."
"What sort of precautions?"
"Sweeping the auditorium first and stationing extra men around." He laughed. "The only other time I had so many volunteers for guard duty was when we needed them for a Jags game."
"You know why." Jim could hear appreciative comments coming from that reason's room.
"Yeah. I hope the vice-president's Secret Service men are up to the task, because our guys aren't going to be paying much mind to him. Nothing's going to be ruining Sandburg's graduation."
"You got that right."
"I just want you to be a little extra observant today - and don't tell Sandburg."
"Don't worry, Simon. You're picking Naomi up, right?" He grinned at Simon's moan.
"Yeah, yeah. Why do I have to do it?"
"Because I have to get her son ready. Oh, my God." Blair came out of his room to model his new suit.
"Jim?"
"Simon, I gotta go. I'll see you at the university." He hung up.
"Jim, this suit is too cool! It fits perfectly." It was a little loose, but Blair liked his clothes that way. He looked...he looked nothing like a college professor.
"You like it?"
"Oh, yeah. Ladies'll go crazy over this. What did the captain want?" Blair began to carefully take the suit off.
"What are you doing, Sandburg?" *He's stripping in front of me. Down, Ellison. Wait until after you get him home tonight. If your plan works, anyway.* He was going to use the general excitement after the ceremony or during the party afterwards to finally tell Blair how he felt. He should have done it long ago, when he'd first realized the truth, or at least when he'd realized that his feelings were answered - but things were always too busy. Then Blair was interviewing at colleges all over the country, and he thought that it would be easier to let Blair go if they never said anything. Jim knew in his soul that if they ever really touched, it would be forever, and then he could never let Blair go.
Blair wasn't leaving Cascade or the loft after all. Today was the most important day of his life. And tonight, if Jim read his signs right, would be just as important for both of them.
"I told you it's too hot to wear a suit under that gown. And there's a hood attached, too. It's long enough to cover to my boot tops anyway." And then he smiled.
*Just keep doing that. Do that forever and I'll be happy.*
"Better get some breakfast, Chief. We don't want to get there too late. Simon's picking up your mom."
"Right. Mom. I'm too up to eat, Jim. I'll eat later." He got down to his underwear, and didn't seem to notice Jim's eyes following him back to his room.
"Put the suit back in the bag, Sandburg! Linen wrinkles." Jim finished his breakfast while Blair got dressed. He came out in the denim shorts and t-shirt.
"It's back in the bag. Any coffee left?"
"Not for you. You get more hyper, you'll bounce out of the truck. I'll make you some of that herby tea you like."
Blair nodded. "Good idea, Jim. But won't it take too long?"
"The ceremony isn't for hours."
"Yeah, but it's going to be full of parents. We'll never found a place to rest."
"Don't worry about it, Chief."
They got to the university in plenty of time to find a parking place and get Jim a decent seat.
"Hey, Blair! Good going, dude!"
"You, too, Mike. Mike, this is my friend Jim Ellison." The kid carrying his own gown and Jim shook hands.
"Hey. This guy is like the best teacher I ever had, dude. I took his class just cause it was supposed to be Mickey Mouse, y'know? And it turns out that he doesn't let *anyone* slack off, and he makes you work. But he's right there with you. Man, we spent *hours* working on my term paper, y'know? He kept, like, making me look stuff up and citing it and rewriting it, and even then he only gave me, like, a C. But I earned that C 'cause I nearly failed the first half."
"This guy was amazing, Jim. He comes into my office demanding I change the grade on his first midterm, and he leaves it two hours later ready to write a paper instead."
"You know the best part, dude? Blair here never stopped helping me even after that class. I mean, not just that I could like drop in on him anytime, but I really learned to like write a paper and stuff, so my grades just totally picked up. I'm on my way to law school, for real. My folks are like, no way!" Jim stood there and glowed. He'd seen Blair with his students before.
"Jim! Sandy!" Megan walked up. "I'm glad I found you! This place is packed!"
"Whoa!" Mike looked at her. "Pretty lady! Friend of yours, Blair?"
"She works with Jim and me. That makes her a cop, Mike."
"When did you become a cop, Blair?"
"He's not a cop." Simon and Naomi walked up. Simon sounded like he was trying to be stern, but it came out proud.
Blair gave his mother a hug.
"Whoa. Two pretty ladies. You are some lucky dude, Blair."
"Mike, this is my mother, Naomi. And that's Jim's boss, Captain Simon Banks. Mike was one of my students. He's graduating today." They shook hands.
A movement caught the kid's attention. "Later, people. The parents are waving at me." Mike sauntered off.
"Congratulations, *Doctor* Sandburg."
"I'm very proud of you, Blair."
The two spoke at the same time and glared at each other.
Megan laughed. "You'd think you had two parents here, Sandy."
Simon looked startled but then broke into a huge grin. "I don't think I could be prouder if I were his father."
Blair grinned and hugged Simon, who just looked awkward. "I knew it! I knew you liked me."
"Damn. Now I'll never get him scared of me."
"He never was scared of you, Simon." Jim smiled.
"Damn kid."
"Professor Sandburg!" A bunch of kids, already capped and gowned, came up.
Blair tried to hug all of them.
"Hey, Mr. Sandburg, we heard that you got a job at Rainier next year. Tenure track!"
"How'd you pull that one off, Blair?"
Blair smiled. "I have my ways, guys."
"You'd better get dressed and to your area, Mr. Sandburg. I mean Dr. Sandburg."
"Bye, folks! Love you *all*!" Blair was looking right at Jim when he said that. Jim could feel a glow rising in his chest as Blair grabbed his cap and gown and let himself be swept away by the crowd of students.
He watched Blair not quite disappear into the group of other Ph.D. candidates, and greet most of them with hugs. As soon as he saw that Blair was safe, he scanned the crowd for other familiar faces. Yes, they were there. Simon was right - the place was full of cops in their best clothing, prowling around.
"You see our guys, Jim?" Simon pitched his voice to Sentinel level.
Jim nodded.
"They are supposed to be keeping their eyes out for anything suspicious and to watch out for the veep. And then Blair."
Jim rolled his eyes and straightened his tie. *I'm looking out for Blair.*
All of a sudden he covered his ears as the band began to tune up.
"Jim? Are you all right?"
He nodded painfully, and turned his hearing down. "I'll be fine, Naomi. It startled me."
The band quieted and the ceremony began with an invocation by a Native American shaman. As he began to speak, his clear, wise eyes scanned the crowd as if he were looking for something. He suddenly stopped looking. Jim followed his line of sight directly to Blair, who was returning the gaze. The shaman nodded and unerringly caught Jim's own eyes and smiled with approval. Jim got a sudden vision of Blair at this man's age, forty or so years from now - white and gray curls framing clear bright eyes and a face both animated and serene. *He'll be just as beautiful as this man. Please let me be able to see it for real.*
The invocation didn't last long, and Jim never caught what the man said, but it didn't matter. He'd been blessed. As the shaman left, the college madrigals began to assemble on the stage. Behind the rows of students in robes, Jim could see one of the Secret Service men who'd been behind the vice president move. Something seemed off about him - his moves were furtive, not assured and he was carrying a large bag.
He leaned towards Simon.
"Sir, I think I see trouble on the stage."
"I don't see anything."
"I need to investigate it."
Simon nodded. "Take Connor, but try to do it without making a scene."
"Megan?" Megan began to stand up.
"What's going on here, Jim?" Naomi looked concerned.
"Nothing, Mrs. Sandburg. We girls just need to go to the ladies' room." Megan flashed him a saucy grin. Naomi rolled her eyes but settled down in her seat. The Madrigals were beginning to sing, and even Jim had to admit it was glorious. It also drowned out all other sound. Jim didn't have Blair with him, so he didn't dare concentrate too hard on what the man might be doing.
He and Megan passed Joel and Henri on their way to the stage.
"What's going on, Jim?" Joel asked.
"Something on the stage. Call it a hunch. I'll need you two as back up."
They nodded and followed them to the stage.
Jim gestured for the others to stay back as he checked around the stage door. In front, the choral group was finished, and the valedictories were beginning, so Jim could hear something now. There was a nervous heartbeat behind the stage, and it sounded like he was using some sort of tools. Jim sniffed. Somewhere under the scents of the crowd and the flowers was a definite scent of some kind of gas, and there was gunpowder around. That last was inconclusive since all the cops and the vice president's Secret Service men were armed. He peered into the dimness. There - someone was kneeling.
Jim motioned to the rest and crept in. He carefully drew his gun, keeping it out of sight of the audience. As the young woman in front spoke of hope for the future and how much we owed to this planet and all its peoples, and otherwise quoted Blair, he kept his eyes and ears on the man.
Just before he could grab him, though, the man ran. Jim would have followed, but he ran into something on the floor. Megan and Henri kept on going while Joel stopped to pick up Jim and look at the device.
"Thanks, Joel. What is that thing?" It was a complex jumble of wires, explosives and canisters, with a small timing device.
"You just tripped over a bomb, Ellison. This *thing* has enough explosives on it to take out everyone on the stage, and enough nerve gas in it to kill everyone who wasn't killed by the blast. Whoever's doing this meant serious harm."
"Where the hell were the veep's Secret Service men? They should have been here." Jim felt like *he* was ready to explode. Most of the people he loved were in that building, including the one who was his life.
"I don't know, Jim. Calm down."
"I can't calm down. Joel, can you disarm that?"
"There's no one better for this job, my friend." Joel pulled a roll of tools out of his pocket and set to work.
Henri and Megan came to the door, dragging the man. Jim shouted at them to leave with the suspect. "Go! As far away as you can." They ran. "Damn! How can I warn people without starting a riot?"
"Jim, you have ten minutes to evacuate this auditorium."
"Do you know how many people are in this place? I can't. People will die."
"If you don't and I don't get this finished in time, *all* of them will die. Now, get out there."
Shaking his head, Jim walked onto the stage. The first thing he did was find one of the men guarding the vice president.
"Sir? I'm Detective Ellison of the Cascade PD. There's no time to waste - you have to get the vice president away *now*." He kept his voice low.
"Let me see your badge, Detective." Jim pulled it out. The man looked at it and nodded. "What's the problem?"
"There's a bomb behind the stage. There's a man from the bomb squad working on it now. We have seven minutes." The man nodded and whispered to the vice president, who refused to move. He pointed to the crowd and shook his head.
"No!," Jim heard. "I am not leaving this place until I know everyone is safe."
"Jim, what's going on?" Why was Blair suddenly next to him?
"Chief? Chief, there's a bomb back there. Joel's working on it but the vice president won't leave and I don't know how to evacuate this crowd in...six and a half minutes. And if I don't and Joel fails, everyone's dead."
"You can't. It would start a panic. It's going to take out the entire class and half the Cascade PD. Oh, God, Jim."
"Half the..." Jim picked up his cell phone, and pressed one button. "Cap'n? Listen. There's a bomb backstage. We need to get everyone out of here calmly and quietly. We have enough people present. Yes. Have them put on their badges and start directing people out. No, I'm not going to say how long. Just do it." Within moments, orderly lines of people were moving out of the auditorium to all the exits. The place began to empty, although it was clear to Jim that it would never be in time, and that those on the stage would be caught.
He gently grasped Blair's arms. "Why are you here, Sandburg?"
"I had to be. I saw you and I knew that this is where I had to be. No matter what." Blair's clear wise eyes looked straight into his soul. "I love you, Jim, and where you are I am."
Jim blinked back wetness. Not tears. Never tears. Tears. "I love you, too. We've been such fools." He pulled Blair into his arms. Blair felt so right there, like he belonged. Why had he waited so long?
"I'd rather be here than anywhere else. You are my life, James Ellison." Blair buried his head in Jim's chest.
"My Blair. I'm sorry."
"Don't worry. We're soul mates. We'll be together forever, no matter what." Blair looked up at Jim. At that moment, Jim saw the serene vision he'd seen earlier. He nodded. Blair would make sure it was all right.
"There is one thing we need to do." Jim bent down and kissed Blair, who responded eagerly. Even if Joel failed, they would have had this.
But Joel didn't fail. The time passed and the bomb did not go off, and shortly afterwards, Joel himself emerged from the back of the stage, the fragments of the bomb in his latexed hands, ready to give to the Secret Service. They searched the auditorium, now completely empty, for more bombs, but came up empty.
The ceremony was moved to the soccer stadium.
After the crowd settled, the university president took the microphone.
"Ladies and gentlemen, students, faculty. Today we took part in a miracle. Thanks to the skills and abilities of Cascade's Finest, a threat to us and to our country has been averted. Let us take a moment in silence to reflect on the events of this day and to give thanks in whatever way you see fit."
The mass of people fell silent and then cheered.
The vice president rose to make his speech. No one would have thought that he'd nearly died. He insisted that Captain Banks, as ranking member present of the Cascade PD, accept his personal thanks for the heroic actions of all of his men. Simon tried to get Jim up on stage as well, but he refused to say anything. He just sat with Blair and held his hand tightly until, finally, the Ph.D's all received their doctorates en masse.
After the ceremony, while they filed out, the shaman came to Blair and Jim. As they stood respectfully in front of him, he took their hands and held them together. Then he smiled.
"When two such spirits choose to become one, all around rejoice and their tribe is blessed." He turned to Blair. "While you are young, my brother, the way is strong within you. Use it to protect and guide him as he does the tribe." Blair smiled shyly and nodded. "May the coming years bring you great joy, my sons." He released their hands, bowed his head and walked away. Jim looked at Blair in happiness and wonder. *No vows, no rings, but forever starts today.* Blair nodded wordlessly, as if he knew what Jim was thinking. Then he pulled Jim into a gentle kiss.
It turned out that the bomber *was*, at least until that moment, Secret Service. Somehow, he'd gotten himself involved with a group so extreme that right and left met and collided. He'd gotten the notion that killing the vice president, whom many respected more than his superior, along with an auditorium full of bright kids and their parents, would get his cause noticed. He'd let the plan slip to one of the more reasonable people in the group, who decided that this was not the time to act and leaked the rumor to the police.
~~~~~~
Major Crimes took over a restaurant. The entire PD had been there, as well as most of the faculty and a huge and shifting number of Blair's students. The (unspiked) punch flowed and Blair, who looked wonderful in the linen suit, and not just in Jim's eyes, had received a mountain of gifts.
One was a brass name plate for his new office door when he began work at Rainier in the fall as an associate professor. As his advisor said when he was hired, Blair was not only a gifted researcher and scholar, he was also the finest teacher they had, and they weren't going to let any other university snap him up.
As for Jim, he sat back and watched his partner sparkle and bounce around the room and glowed with pride and happiness. He was Blair's now, and if it hadn't happened according to plan, it had happened. Blair's taste was in his head and on his tongue and he had all that he needed.
But now the party was over, and they were back home. Blair carefully hung his new suit in his closet. Jim waited for him in the living room. They stood awkwardly for a time. Tonight was too important to both of them.
"This is weird, Jim."
"Here, too. You know what this feels like, Chief?" Blair shook his head. "It feels like my wedding night with Carolyn."
"Like we're on the verge of forever?"
"Yeah." They both smiled, but made no other move.
"Jim...have you ever...?"
"Couple times in college and the army. I'm not a virgin, exactly. You...?"
"I've ... kissed a few guys, and one of my old roommates and I would...touch each other...use our mouths...I've...done women, though. You know...there. Oh, God!" Blair sat on the couch and buried his head in his hands. Jim sat next to him and put his arm over Blair's shoulders.
"It's okay, Blair. We can take this slowly. We *have* forever."
"Do we?" Blair looked up, his eyes bright with tears.
Jim thought about what had happened earlier. "No. All we have, all anyone has, is today. And I want you to make love to me today."
"Me...make love to..." Blair looked startled, but he also licked his lips.
"Yeah. I want you inside of me." Jim became hard at the thought. "I've been dreaming of having you take me. Take me, Blair." Blair nodded, silently.
They walked upstairs. Jim had made the bedroom ready for this - clean, crisp sheets, vases of lilies, soft lighting. He let Blair lead him inside, and smiled when he heard Blair's gasp of delight. Swiftly, they undressed each other, needing to see the other.
"All mine." Blair's voice was hoarse with passion.
"All yours, Blair." Gently, Blair drew Jim onto the bed, until they were laying side by side facing each other.
"Finally we're the same height."
"Shh, Blair." They began to kiss, to let their hands explore each other - first gently and tentatively, then with more passion and with need to *know* who this person was. Then their bodies were rubbing together, twin hardnesses meeting as Blair wrapped his arms and legs around Jim and Jim nuzzled Blair's hair. Then Blair swiftly reversed position and took Jim into his mouth.
Jim could only lay back and accept the ministrations of that mouth. He moaned softly as Blair's tongue and mouth drew greater and greater pleasure from. He reached down and there was Blair's penis, huge and curved and right where his hands were. He began to pull on it, just to hear the sounds Blair made as he sucked Jim. Jim could feel the orgasm building, building, until he exploded into Blair's mouth and fell back to let Blair do what he wanted.
Blair smiled at him and arranged his legs so that Jim was fully exposed. To his surprise, he grew hard again at that thought. There were lube and condoms on the night table so Jim didn't have to speak. He didn't want to speak. This moment was too special, too sacred, for words. Blair seemed to sense this, too, because he just smiled and let his eyes speak volumes.
Blair coated his hand with lube and gently, patiently prepared Jim. He used his other hand to stroke and soothe him, to keep him relaxed and quiet. Jim just smiled. He trusted Blair totally; he knew Blair knew what he was doing. One finger, two fingers, three, four...Jim couldn't help thrusting his pelvis as he felt more and more filled. Then Blair rolled on the condom and coated it with lube as well.
Blair guided his penis into Jim slowly, letting Jim adjust to the size. As he did, he moaned and tried to relax still further, until he was surrounding all of Blair. And he was filled in a way even his other male lovers had not - at this moment he was one with Blair, as if a marriage ceremony had been performed. He looked into Blair's eyes as Blair knelt unmoving before him, in him. He could see forever in those eyes, and knew beyond knowledge that Blair felt that joining as well.
He reached up and clasped Blair's hands. Blair began to move, pushing against Jim's hands. Like that first touch, the gentle movements grew more passionate and wild as Blair's pleasure grew. To his surprise, Jim felt his own passion growing. It had been long since he could achieve two in one night, but this night was special and it was only right.
As Blair built to a climax, he nodded at Jim, and Jim began to touch himself. The twin sensations were too much for him to bear. Once more, he stiffened in pleasure and as he did, his contractions caused Blair to have his own orgasm. Sated, Jim straightened his legs and let Blair fall over him. Soon, too soon, Blair had to pull out and take off the condom. He smiled when he saw the baby wipes on the night table, but used them to clean both off. Then he snuggled into Jim's arms and fell asleep.
Jim kissed Blair's forehead and held him tightly. "Good night, my angel."
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