Here and There
by Swellison

(Smarm challenge)

Jim Ellison unlocked the door to the loft and followed Blair Sandburg inside. Jim closed the door, his eyes following a tuxedoed Blair as the younger man walked somewhat unsteadily over to the couch and plopped down. They had been out celebrating Jim's Officer of the Year award and Little Stogie's winning streak. Since discovering his hyperactive senses, Jim had a two-beer limit, not wanting to experience being a drunk Sentinel, or worse, a hung-over Sentinel. With Jim as designated driver, Blair could drink as much as he wanted to, and had imbibed freely. Jim walked over to his partner and sat down next to him.

"Let me," Ellison said, reaching for Blair's bowtie, which the anthropologist was ineffectually trying to remove.

"I can do it myself," Blair pushed Jim's hands away, irritably. "You're not my big brother."

Jim easily picked up on the subtly stressed 'my'. "Steven seemed to be enjoying himself with Simon and the others," he said casually.

"Yeah. Simon and Joel and the guys took to him right away," Blair's tone was wistful and just a tad envious.

"Well, he does have the Ellison charm," Jim said. "Even more than I do. He asked me how we were able to pinpoint the faulty areas of the grandstand so easily."

Blair startled. "You didn't tell him about--"

"I told him it was a trade secret. He doesn't need to know."

"Jim, he's your brother and he might have--"

"Unless he decides to join the Peace Corps or sail around the world by himself, he doesn't need to know about Sentinel abilities. Relax, Chief, Steven's a people person. He'd never want to experience some isolated time in the wilderness. I know him, he's my brother."

"Yeah." Blair said quietly.

"You know what they say about home and family, don't you?"

"Is that in a matriarchal or patriarchal society?"

"That was a rhetorical question," Jim explained, then continued. "It's where, if you have to go there, they have to take you in."

Blair just stared at Jim and the detective reached for his partner's bowtie and began to undo it.

"There's no 'there' with us, Chief, because we're both here." Jim removed the tie and met Blair's eyes. "I'm exactly where I want to be and I'm happy and grateful that you're here with me - not just because you're my Guide, but because you're my partner and my friend.

"You have no reason to feel threatened by Steven, either. I'm a big guy and there's room in my heart for both of you. Now, are we okay, here, Chief?"

"Yeah man," Blair grinned. "We're abso-freakin'-lutely terrific."

"Glad to hear it," Jim stood up and then helped Blair to his feet. "Now go to bed. And take an aspirin with plenty of water, or you'll wake up with a hangover tomorrow."

"Yes, Mom," Blair walked down the hallway to his room. "Thanks, bro'," he whispered as he stepped into his room.

"Any time." Jim said, walking over to the loft stairs.