What if I said?, a sentinel fanfic

Valentines Day in the Major Crimes Unit was always interesting. By the end of the day they could run their own floral and candy shop, and fly to the moon with all the helium from all the balloons and keep all their girlfriends/wives/mothers happy during 'that week' for the next four months with the chocolate that came in.

But this year, this year was to top all years. Everyone knew that. And how did they know? Because two of their detectives and one very special, 'it's only a ninety day pass cum four years' observer realized that there were some interesting feelings going on.

Blair Sandburg, anthropologist Doctoral candidate cum police observer/Guide to the Sentinel of Cascade (Aka Jim Ellison) had turned to the first person who had actually welcomed him into the police force, Joel Taggart. Joel had taken the news better than either Brown or Connor would have, and was actually thrilled at the idea of helping his friend. It seemed the former Bomb Squad Captain, turned MCU second Captain liked to dote on Blair, finding he felt for him the way he would if he had had children of his own. The idea of helping Blair possibly get what his hearted wanted thrilled the larger man to no end.

Joel couldn't resist telling his partner, Megan Connor, nor his 'boss' and friend, Captain Simon Banks. They both agreed it was about damn time, and while they had purposefully left one out, they knew it wouldn't be a problem.

They just couldn't wait to see what happened, and while Simon had reservations, the other two assured them that the three, if anything happened, could remain professional...or as professional as it got around there when one of their own was involved.

Agreeing reluctantly, Simon had told Joel and Megan that if this blew up, he was giving them clean up duty, and if it harmed Blair's residence any, one of them would take him in.

Nodding at the half gruffed out terms, they set back to watch the plan fall into action.

Blair was excited and nervous about today. It was February the fourteenth and today was either the day he finally got what he wanted, or he'd be flat out on his ass, ostracized by those he cared about.

Personally, Blair preferred the former to the later.

Bouncing out of the elevator around lunch time, he had decidedly left all of his Valentine's in his office, ready to be thrown out. Even if he was turned down today, he wouldn't keep what he had received, nor act on any of it. It wouldn't be fair to any of the legions of women (or the odd assortment of men) to act on a rejection. He'd face it like a man...and cry himself to sleep for the next decade or so.

Settling down into his chair, he was excited to see all the different flowers, candies and balloons that decorated the bull pen. Every single person had received something this year (even if he had sent it anonymously so no one felt left out), but felt that excitement fall a bit at the sight of Jim and Rafe's desks. Shit, they were nearly covered and his stuff hadn't gotten there yet.

What had he been thinking? Jim was the poster man for Straight men everywhere, and Rafe loved the ladies. Blair was just a fool, and he could almost wish to hate Joel ever so slightly for not talking him out of this.

But as his partner walked in, Blair beamed at him and waved before he started to type up one of the needed reports on the oddly bare desk.

The young Anthropologist didn't mind that he hadn't gotten anything at the station, his office was terrifyingly pink, white and red all over.

He knew Jim noticed, it was hard not to when half of his stuff seemed to spill over, but didn't comment. Nodding his head to the song he had been listening to on his way over, Blair started to hum a little, but stopped when he looked over at Jim, worried he was disturbing the man.

"Hey Chief, glad to see you made it off campus in one piece. How many paper cuts do you have this year?" Jim asked jokingly, knowing that the young anthropological doctoral candidate was very popular at the campus.

"I didn't open any this year. I was kind of hoping to see a couple from some people, but...so I figured I'd save my fingers the trouble," he replied cheerily, hoping that his friend and Sentinel couldn't see the disappointment in his eyes or hear it in his voice.

Jim nodded, and turned back to his computer, frowning as yet another poor delivery guy came in with a gigantic bouquet and waved him over, pointing to the floor.

"Thanks." he muttered and the guy high-tailed it out of there, that being the seventh time in two hours he had come back there.

Blair looked at his watch and smiled, saving the document he was working on and looked at Jim who was frowning. It seemed the Sentinel had heard something out of place..Good.

Everyone in the Bullpen froze when they all heard before they saw the sounds of instruments being carted down the halls.

In walked four men, dressed like the Beatles and without a word started to set up their equipment. Blair gave everyone a very confused, 'ookay, what now' smile.

The leader of the group nodded and spoke. "We are "Jude Rigby" and have been hired on this the day of sweethearts and lovers, to sing to two men," he started, smiling, before looking around. "Now, which one of you lot is Jim Ellison and Brian Rafe?" he asked as Rafe blushed and Jim raised an eye brow.

Both of them raised their hands and the leader motioned them over. Hesitantly Jim and Rafe came closer, admits hoots and hollers.

Raising his hands for quiet the leader grinned. "Now, Detectives Ellison and Rafe, it seems you two share an admirer. Said person wishes to remain anonymous for the moment, but will reveal themselves at a later time today.

"And so, for you two, we will be preforming, "Love is all you Need"." He nodded and the rest of the band started to gather up their instruments.

Once in place, the lead singer (who actually wasn't the one speaking) nodded out the beat and they started;

"Love, Love, Love

Love, Love, Love

There's nothing you can do

that can't be done

Nothing you can sing

that can't be sung

Nothing you can say

but learn to play the game

It's easy,

There's nothing you can do

that can't be done

No one you save

that can't be saved

Nothing you can do

but you can learn how to be you in time

It's easy,

All you need is love

All you need is love,

Love,

Love is all you need.

Love, Love, Love

All you need is love

Love

Love is all you need.

There's nothing you can know

that isn't known

Nothing you can see

that isn't shown

Nowhere you can be

that isn't where you need to be

It's easy,

All you need is love

All you need is love,

Love,

Love is all you need.

Love, Love, Love

All you need is love

Love

Love is all you need.

All you need is love," the rest of the band members hollered out, "All together now!"

All you need is love

(Everybody!)

All you need is love

Love

Love is all you need

Love is all you need..."

As the band faded out, the bull pen sat in silence, everyone blinking, confused.

As a whole they all turned to Blair who's eye brows were at his hair line. He was shaking his head repeatedly, mouth moving but no sound coming forth. This was not what he had planned, he was going to have a different band play "If I said" by Steve Wariner, not the Beatles.

"Blair?" Jim asked, breaking the silence, in which the man in question had paled and started to shake.

"No...No..." shaking his head harder, his curls flew and he got up, rushing out of the bull pen, down the hall and into the bathroom, locking it behind him, after checking there was no one in there.

Who had...why had...Did Joel...? the thoughts were running circles in his mind and he slid down the wall and onto the floor, bowing his head. Someone else...someone else must have thought they could get one or both of the men.

They were probably leggy, good looking and had good taste. Which was why they were after Jim and Brian.

Letting a single tear drop down his face, Blair tried to shake himself out of his stupor, not wanting anyone to think that was his move. It would have been too obvious, him the child of a 60s flower child and all. Which was why he chose the song he did. It meant so much to him, and...someone else...shit.

Lifting his head up to rest against the wall, he wondered how long he could stay in there before his Blessed Protector would come to check on him.

In the bull pen everyone had jumped to life after Blair had run out, with Jim and Rafe in the middle of it.

Everyone was talking at once, and Jim was getting a headache. He shouldn't have asked Blair, of course he hadn't sent them. It was too damn obvious. Blair was a little better than that.

Pushing his way out of the crowd, he made his way over to Simon's office, where the man stood bellowing for everyone to get back to work, and for Joel, Megan, H, Jim and Rafe to get their hineys in there now.

As the Beatles impersonators left, another band entered and everyone stopped, dead. Hello, what was this now?

"Uhm," the guy with an acoustic guitar started, looking around. "Is there a Detective Jim Ellison and/or a Detective Brian Rafe here?"

Both men shared a look and nodded.

"I'm Ellison, and he's Rafe," Jim pointed and they smiled, relieved.

"Oh good. We got a little lost. Uhm, we're here to give you, your Valentine. Can't tell you who it's from, but that last one? Some really creepy chick..She tried to hire us, but...Dunno. Anyway, this person wasn't creepy."

"Creepy how?" Jim asked, his mind jumping all over the place, along with the rest of the bull pen.

"Obsessed college girl?" he offered, and rubbed the back of his neck. "She said her name was Kelly or something..." he shrugged and bit his lip. "Would you like your Valentine?"

Rafe looked at Jim and shrugged, "Might as well. Wonder who this one's from.."

The rest of the group had gathered around Simon's door and stood ready to hear.

"We've been friends for a long, long time,

You tell me your secrets, and I tell you mine.

She's left you all alone and you feel like no one cares,

But I have never failed you, I've always been there.

"You tell your story, it sounds a bit like mine.

It's the same old situation that happens every time.

Oh, can't we see that maybe you and me,

It's what's meant to be, or do we disagree?

"What if I told you?

What if I said?

That I love you.

"How would you feel?

What would you think?

What would we do?

"Do we dare to cross that line

Between your heart and mine?

Oh, would I lose a friend?

Or find a love that would never end?

What if I said?

"She doesn't love you, oh, it's plain to see.

I can read between the lines of what you're telling me.

And he doesn't hold you, the way a woman should be held.

How long can I go on keeping these feelings to myself?

"What if I told you?

What if I said?

That I love you.

"How would you feel?

What would you think?

What would we do?

"Do we dare to cross that line

Between your heart and mine?

Oh, would I lose a friend?

Or find a love that would never end?

What if I said?

"We've both had our share of lonliness.

So who's to say that we can live in a life in happiness

And if I found that in you

You could make my dreams come true.

"Oh, would you walk away,

Or hear what I have to say?

""What if I told you?

What if I said?

That I love you.

"How would you feel?

What would you think?

What would we do?

"Do we dare to cross that line

Between your heart and mine?

"I've always wondered

From the day that we met.

What if I said?

What if I said?"

The band finished amid applause and Jim and Rafe looked at one another. They both looked over at the door when Blair came back in, looking no worse for wear, if a bit pale. He smiled at them, nodded to the band and greeted each by name.

When they left, he walked over and asked what happened.

"Another Valentine's day song...You know them Chief?"

Blair nodded, focused enough to trick the human lie detector that was his roommate and best friend. "Yeah, most of them are my students. Didn't know they actually did gigs like this...Should've asked.."

The two detectives nodded and shrugged. Blair wasn't lying, none of the typical give aways were there, and even the smaller, less common ones were no where to be seen.

Entering Simon's office with the rest of the crew, Blair sat down and looked puzzled.

"I take it something happened?"

"You took off for one, Sandy," Megan started, concern reflecting in her and Joel's eyes. Blair blushed and nodded, chewing on his lip.

"Sorry, bad association. I didn't mean to freak like that..." he shrugged and looked embarrassed and contrite, and Jim, despite knowing exactly how his roommate felt, couldn't resist a jab.

"Protest gone bad, Sandburg?"

"Uhm, no," Blair started, gnawing his lip. He knew Jim was trying to make him feel better, but.."More like a, now very ex, deciding that alcohol was a good substitute for counciling...and that I looked like a punching bag...And Jim before you start, said Ex has been in Jail for a helluva long time now. And he only got two swings in before I hit him in the head with a steeltoe boot work boot..." he trailed off, knowing he just outed himself, but hell, he figured if this was going to work like he wanted (and now he was seriously doubting it) they had to know.

"Christ Sandburg," Simon muttered, shaking his head, making a note to look and see if there was a report on that. Jim was doing the same thing, while Rafe was frowning.

"Hairboy, how many did he have?"

Everyone in the room knew that Jim was a Sentinel, after all, they could only hide it so long before someone figured it out. Blair shrugged and ignored the look Jim was trying to pin him with.

"Just two..." he muttered, eyes wandering around, uncomfortable.

"Which two?"

The Anthropologist seemed reluctant to divulge it, but sighed. "Touch...and taste..." he squeaked out, and let his hair fall around his face. The implications of this were not missed and everyone either blushed or cleared their throat. "It was...I..." he stopped, short of words and shook his head.

"Anyway, what else did I miss?"

"Kelly sent them."

"Oh.."

Kelly was a bit of a campus slut, and she had set her sights on both Jim and Rafe. A tall six foot, leggy blonde she had managed to not get either man, having been warned off by Blair, who, thankfully, had no experience with her.

They all sat in silence before Brown asked who they thought sent the second batch. Everyone shrugged and muttered something about more horny College girls, before dispersing back out into the bull pen and their desks, all wishing it wasn't such a slow day.

A couple of hours later, Blair had taken off to go shopping, it being his night to cook. Jim nodded and waved him off, and raised an eyebrow as yet another poor delivery guy came in, holding two cards, a rather large bouquet of flowers and a huge box of chocolates, calling for him and Rafe.

Getting their cards they got together to compare and found they were exactly the same.

"We're being set up."

"Definitely...think we should go?"

"Probably..back up?"

"Nah," Rafe replied, smirking. "I'm sure we can handle at the most two horny women, and definately one."

The two detectives laughed and agreed to go in Jim's truck, unaware that the directions were to lead them some place very familiar...

Jim and Rafe took off a bit early, just in case they some how managed to get lost.

Taking each twist and turn, they wondered where the hell in Cascade they would end up, til they landed right smack in front of Jim's building on Prospect.

Staring, Rafe inquired about all the single, not elderly ladies living in Jim's building. Sitting there, they came up with no one, and decided to see what the hell kind of joke Blair was playing on them.

As they climbed the stairs, Jim extended his hearing out to see what his roomie was up to, and weather or not this was some sick-o's way of getting to them, harming Blair in the process (because lets face it, it would definately be the Sandburg luck for that exact situation to occur).

There was only one heart beat, which could be a good thing, or very bad. It was beating slightly faster than normal, but there was romantic music playing along with it, so it was probably Blair. Oh he was dead.

Reaching 307, Jim fished his keys out and looked at the other detective.

"Blair's alone...I think. I don't smell blood, or anything or one that shouldn't be there. I wonder what the hell he's up to."

Rafe shrugged noncomitedly, while knowing exactly what was up. He had figured it out on the ride over, and thought that it was cute..odd, but cute. He also knew why this whole thing had been set up. After all, how could you go up to two men you thought were straight, and tell them you love both of them?

Entering after Ellison, Brian smiled as he found he was right.

Mood lighting and romantic music, with what smelled like heaven for dinner...and Blair, Blair standing before the lit fire place, dressed in slacks and a blue silk shirt that off set his eyes, hair tried back in a loose braid.

"Uhm, Hi Jim, Hi Brian.." he greeted, fiddling with a few buttons on his shirt. "Heh, surprise?"

Jim looked shell shocked, almost in a zone, but before either could worry, he shook his head and stared at the shorter of the three men.

"Sandburg," He started, his voice in its neutral 'cop' tone. Blair winced and Rafe was tempted to go over to him, hug him, but the ball was in Jim's court at the moment. "Sandburg, I-"

"I'm sorry guys...J-Jim, I'll move out now...You don't have to say it...You don't-dont' have to tell anyone about this...I-I'll just finish my dis, and then leave...Megan can help you...or Rafe or someone...You'll never have to see me again...I'm sorry..." Blair rushed out, sounding near tears. He started to pace, then stopped, switching directions towards his room.

Stunned the two men watched as he opened the french doors to reveal a totally packed and cleaned room. Blair picked up his duffle and gnawed on his lip.

"I-I'll send for the rest of my stuff, okay? Enjoy dinner..." he muttered, headed for the door, only to be stopped by two sets of chests.

"Don't thinks so, Chief," Jim started, taking the bag.

"Yeah, Hairboy, you're not going anywhere."

"I-I'm not?" he asked, looking up at them for the first time. He really did have tears in his eyes, neither spilling over, nor leaving.

"Nope," they chorused and lead him towards the sofas. Blair sat down hard and stared at them in wonder.

"Y-your not going to kill me are you?"

"Nope, that would be counterproductive, wouldn't it Jim?"

"Yeah. Just a little." Jim replied, sitting very close to his Guide. "No way I'd let you go.."

Blinking the curly haired man realized that he was sandwiched between the two men he was in love with. Very sandwiched, indeed.

"So...uhm, you knew?"

Jim shook his head and wrapped an arm around him.

"Nope, not til you started to babble and try to leave. Brian?"

Blair looked over at Rafe, who was smirking. "Sorry, Blair, kind of figured it out halfway here. But, just so you know...Yes I'll be your Valentine...and Jim's if he'll have me.."

Big dark blue eyes turned to look at lighter blue, and for a moment they looked ready to cry, til a smile grew. "Same here, Chief, Bri. Same here..."

Blair laughed, wiping a stray tear away. "Wow, Joel won't believe this.."

"Joel knew?"

"He helped me set this up.." he replied meekly, biting his lip.

Brian laughed and shook his head, gently removing Blair's lip from his teeth. "Stop biting that. That's my job."

Wanting to bite it again, but resisting, Blair nodded. "Okay...Uhm, Jim?" he started, keeping his hands to himself.

"Yeah Chief?"

"You two are smushing me.."

A chorus of laughter echoed through the loft.