Standard Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from the series. Darn shame, that. I do own all the original characters, though, and all the other parts that come from my brain.

With Arms Wide Open, by Creed

Well I just heard the news today
It seems my life is gonna change
I closed my eyes, begin to pray
Then tears of joy stream down my face

With arms wide open under the sunlight
Welcome to this place I'll show you everything
With arms wide open
With arms wide open

Well I don't know if I'm ready
To be the man I have to be
I'll take a breath, I'll take her by my side
We stand in awe, we've created life

With arms wide open under the sunlight
Welcome to this place I'll show you everything
With arms wide open now everything has changed
I'll show you love I'll show you everything

With arms wide open
With arms wide open
I'll show you everything, aw yeah
With arms wide open, wide open

If I had just one wish only one demand
I hope he's not like me, I hope he understands
That he can take this life and hold it by the hand
And he can greet the world with arms wide open

With arms wide open under the sunlight
Welcome to this place I'll show you everything
With arms wide open now everything has changed
I'll show you love I'll show you everything

With arms wide open
With arms wide open
I'll show you everything, aw yeah
With arms wide open
Wide open

It was late, or early depending on how you wanted to look at it, and Jim was tired. There was a lot about his job that he liked, but running surveillance wasn't high on the list. Normally he'd make one of the other guys handle it, but Jace had just had a death in the family and Ryan had picked up the extra caseload without having to be asked. Jim didn't want to be that kind of boss anyway, passing off the lame assignments and keeping only the really juicy ones for himself; not that Blair would let him get away with that.

Jim pointed his truck towards home, grateful he had the weekend off. He had a standing lunch date with Simon so that they could get caught up, though they did see each other whenever the PD contracted with J&B Investigations. Which was fairly often, he thought smugly. It had been Blair's idea, and he'd worked really hard to convince Jim to go along with it, but it had worked out better than either of them could have imagined.

When Naomi had released the dissertation without her son's approval, things could easily have blown up in everyone's faces. Luckily, Jim and Blair had been operating on a different level of communication and understanding after the Alex Barnes incident, and they were able to sit down and figure things out together.

*o*o*o*

Blair stood at the podium, facing the roomful of media with a determined look on his face. Beside him stood Police Chief Warren and Chancellor Edwards, representing dual support from both Cascade PD and Rainier University. Jim, who stood a step behind his partner and kept a hand clapped firmly on his shoulder, knew that Edwards had only agreed to be there after a call from the mayor.

"Hi. Thank you all for coming." The noise in the room quieted as Blair began to talk. "As you know, both myself and Detective James Ellison have been the focus of much unwanted attention in the last few days. I'd like to take this opportunity to set the record straight.

"I have written a novel called The Sentinel, in the form of a dissertation. As some of you may know, this type of documentary writing style is very popular right now. The novel was released to Berkshire Publishing without my consent. It is unfinished and any publicity surrounding it was done without my approval.

"The main character was based on Detective Ellison, and I used his name as a placeholder in the novel until such time as the first draft was done, and then I had planned on changing it. Detective Ellison was the basis of the character because I admire his integrity, his dedication to his job, and his high moral standards."

Jim leaned forward toward the microphones. "Trust me, I can't leap tall buildings in a single bound."

There was some laughter from the audience.

"I will be pursuing legal action against Berkshire Publishing, and my novel has been put on hold until things get sorted out. I apologize to both the Cascade PD and Rainier University for any problems this has caused. Thank you."

Before the reporters could start in with questions, Police Chief Warren stepped up and made a brief speech about Blair's value to the Cascade PD, citing his long record of case closures while an observer. Jim was filled with pride, especially when the Chief announced that they were offering him an official, paid position as Police Consultant. Blair had been surprised and clearly touched, if the brightness in his eyes was any indication.

Chancellor Edwards spoke last and though she said all the right words, Jim wanted to strangle her for her unpleasant tone. The University was of course very supportive of Mr. Sandburg, and the doctorate committee was looking forward to the upcoming presentation of his thesis on closed societies in law enforcement.

Blair hadn't planned on answering any questions, but as Jim started to hustle him out, one of the reporters called out loudly, asking if Sentinels did in fact exist.

"Do Sentinels exist?" Blair grinned. "Richard Burton thought so. He wrote a book called The Sentinels of Paraguay, which was the basis of my own work. If you can find a copy, it's an interesting read."

*o*o*o*

The press bought that story, and Blair sued the publisher and won. Their friends in Major Crimes knew that the whole novel thing was a lie, and went out of their way to make Blair feel welcome in his new role as official consultant. Still, there were questions and suspicions elsewhere in the department.

Blair eventually brought up the subject of starting their own investigation firm, pointing out that Jim would still be helping the tribe but in a different way. They'd both done a lot of thinking about that, and eventually Jim had agreed. He was tired of his friend constantly being in the line of fire, both criminal and friendly, and figured that if they opened their own firm they could leave the heavy lifting to the cops.

Though he'd been a little uncertain at first, Jim had to admit how excited he'd been when their office opened up; just seeing their name on the glass door gave him a little thrill. Plus, there was something to be said for being your own boss. They could set their own hours, pick and choose their cases, and take long fishing weekends.

*o*o*o*

"Check it out, Chief." Jim waved a piece of paper at him. "The first payment for our first case."

"We should frame that," Blair said.

"I think you're forgetting a little something called rent."

Even with the large settlement from the lawsuit, they'd decided to rent offices for the time being. Blair was pretty confident that there would be expansion in their future, and so they were keeping their options open.

"You're right. Hey! I'll take a picture of you with it." Blair pulled out his little point and shoot, and Jim posed with the check.

"Now we can say we have a solve rate of one hundred percent," he added, setting the camera on the desk.

Jim just shook his head. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Chief. It's only one case."

"I've already got a line on a couple more. In fact…"

Blair was interrupted by a knock on the door, which opened a moment later. A young man, no more that twenty, was standing there looking incredibly nervous.

"Can we help you?" Jim asked.

"Oh, uh, yeah. Um, I'm looking for Dr. Sandburg?"

"It's just Blair." He went over and shook the man's hand. "This is my partner, Jim Ellison. Why don't you sit down?"

"Oh, no, that's okay. Um, I was just…um…"

Jim and Blair exchanged a bemused grin. Blair put a hand on the kid's shoulder and steered him into a chair.

"Whatever's going on, I'm sure we can help you. Just take a nice, deep breath and talk to us."

The kid did as instructed and visibly relaxed. "Okay. Um, I saw your press conference on YouTube. You know, about the Sentinel thing."

Another look passed between them, though this time it was one of wariness instead of amusement.

"Did you have a question about that?" Blair asked cautiously.

"Yes. I mean, no. I mean…well, thing is, I think I might be one of those. A Sentinel. I can see really far, and I can hear people talking all the way down the street. It's kind of cool, but I get lots of headaches. I just thought…well, you seemed to know…I mean…"

"You want help controlling your senses?" Blair asked.

"Well, I was hoping. I mean, I took a bus here all the way from Idaho, you know? And you never said that Sentinels weren't real. I watched your speech like ten times and you never said it was a lie."

Jim gave the kid points for being perceptive. "What's your name?"

"Danny. Danny Williams."

"Well, Danny Williams," Jim said with a grin. "I think we can help you."

*o*o*o*

It hadn't taken long for J&B Investigations to set up an off-shoot called Watchman Enterprises. Danny Williams wasn't the only one who had seen Blair's press conference and the media firestorm that surrounded it, and found the Sentinel information all too familiar. Suddenly there were almost-Sentinels coming to Cascade from all over the country, seeking help from Blair and Jim. And with all the people they'd met, not one of them had been a full Sentinel the way Jim was.

"There can be only one," he laughed to himself. Blair was compiling ridiculous amounts of research, and had been able to help most of the almost-Sentinels that came to them; not all of them were willing to listen. None of them had set Jim's senses off the way Alex had, though, so he was more than happy to lend out his Guide.

The truck left the city limits, driving through the suburbs in the pre-dawn hours. Most of the houses out this way were dark, everyone still sleeping. Jim couldn't wait to be one of them. Two years ago they'd moved out of the loft and into a nice place just outside town, a little farmhouse that had a small, stand-alone barn that had been remade into Jim's living space. And since he already owned the loft, they'd moved their offices there.

He loved the barn. They'd had it renovated and turned into a nice bi-level apartment, with skylights and big, southern-exposure windows. When he wanted to be alone, he had his own place – fully Sentinel-ized thanks to his Guide. But he spent just as much time in the house with Blair and Jenny.

Jenny Miles had been a find. There had been the usual parade of women through Blair's life, which Jim had gotten kind of used to. But he'd been surprised when his partner had admitted that he was looking for a woman he could spend his life with, one that would also be accepting of the Sentinel-Guide relationship, and he would accept no substitutes.

Jim always felt a warm glow when he thought of Jenny. She was perfect in all the ways that counted. She was a school teacher – high school English – and she could hold her own in a debate with Blair. She'd also been incredibly accepting of Jim, taking the Sentinel thing right in stride. It hadn't taken long for her to become part of Jim's little family. Jenny really loved Blair, and he loved her back just as strongly; anything less would have been unacceptable. They quickly became a very tight knit threesome, and if Jim loved Blair like a brother than Jenny became the sister he'd never had.

*o*o*o*

Jenny, Jim and Blair moved around the spacious kitchen in their own version of ballet. It wasn't often that the three of them cooked together, but when they did they moved seamlessly, each doing their own part of the meal. When it was finished they ate at the little round table, chatting easily about their day.

After they cleaned up the dinner dishes and wiped down the counters – Jenny adhered to a level of tidiness that Jim approved of – the three of them retired to the living room to watch a little television. As usual, they wound up in what Blair laughingly called a puppy pile; Jim sat on one side of his partner, an arm casually thrown over his shoulder, and Jenny was curled up on the other side with her arm around Blair's waist.

Jim never failed to marvel at how things had a way of working out. He and Blair had discovered that the Sentinel's powers were a little like a battery; when he used them a lot, he needed a recharge. This recharge came from physical contact with his Guide, often just sitting closely together like they were now. What had surprised both of them was the way Jenny seemed to be able to fill some of that need; on a few occasions when Blair had been unavailable, Jenny had filled in as Guide. She wasn't at the same level as her husband, but in a pinch she got the job done.

While they relaxed together, Jim did a casual Sentinel scan of his companions. Jenny jokingly referred to him as her primary physician, because he always knew when something was up before she did. Which certainly seemed to be the case today.

"Jenny?" he asked, sitting up.

"What's up, big guy?" Blair looked at him searchingly.

"There's something…oh my God."

"What? What's wrong?" Jenny looked between the two of them, panic in her eyes. "What is it?"

Jim leaned across Blair, and put his head on Jenny's stomach. His Guide immediately started to rub his back, helping him to focus on whatever it was he'd detected.

"Jimmy, you're scaring me."

Jim looked up at Jenny, and couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face. "Wow."

"Wow? What the hell does that mean?" Blair pushed him up. "What's going on, man?"

"I heard a heartbeat."

"Okay." Blair looked at Jenny and shrugged. "You always hear our heartbeats."

"Not yours." Jim got up and moved around to sit next to Jenny. He took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead. "You're pregnant, little sister."

Jenny looked back at him with wide eyes, then turned to share a shell-shocked look with her husband. "You're sure?"

"Never doubt your Sentinel."

There was a lot of hooting and hollering and crying after that announcement. Jim shared an apple cider toast with the happy couple before retiring to his apartment. The warm glow stayed with him all night. Blair was going to be a father, and he'd never been happier for his friend. For both of his friends.

*o*o*o*

Jim pulled into the driveway, immediately assessing his home territory. The front light of the house was on, as it always was. The kitchen light was on, too, and at this hour of the day it was unusual. But it was seeing the dog out in the fenced yard that put the Sentinel on alert. He quickly parked the truck and got out, closing the door as quietly as possible. He opened the side gate, moving into the yard; he had his gun in his hand before he'd even thought to draw it. The dog, a large shepherd mix, immediately came trotting over to lick his hand.

"Hey, Rinny," he whispered. Blair had insisted on naming the dog Rin Tin Tin. "What're you doing out here?"

Blair and Jenny never left the dog out at night, and Rinny was old enough now to make it through without needing a bathroom break.

Jim extended his hearing, and his stomach twisted when he couldn't detect any signs of life in the house. He reached for his cell phone, frowning when it wouldn't turn on. Damn it! The battery had died again. He needed to get in the house, but he was afraid of what he'd find once he got there. Tentatively he opened up smell, shaking in relief when he didn't smell any blood.

Using his key, he went through the kitchen door and did a room by room search of the house. No signs of forced entry, no signs of violence. And then his higher brain function finally kicked in and he checked the front entry hall. Jenny's suitcase, the one she had packed for the hospital, was gone. He ran to the living room, snatching the phone up out of the base, and punched in Blair's number.

"Jesus, man, where have you been? I've been leaving you messages!" His Guide sounded anxious, tense, and on edge. In short, like a man whose wife had gone into labor.

"Battery's dead. You at Cascade General?"

"Yeah. You gotta get down here, I can't…I'm freaking out."

"Is Jenny okay?"

"Jenny? She's great. I've never seen her this calm. Why is she so calm?"

"Hang tight, Chief. I'm on my way."

Jim locked up after making sure Rinny had food and water, and got back in his truck. So much for bed. Not that he could sleep now, anyway. The baby was coming!

*o*o*o*

Whatever protective instincts that Jim possessed for his tribe was nothing when it came to the life Jenny was carrying inside her. He was constantly listening in, assessing the well-being of the unborn baby, making sure that Jenny ate all the right foods and got just the right amount of exercise. Anyone who was unfortunate enough to jostle her in public got a face full of angry Sentinel.

When Jenny had her first ultrasound, she and Blair had to bully Jim into coming; he hadn't wanted to intrude on their special moment. And there they had been in that little room, Jenny laying on the bed with Blair's hand clasped tightly in hers and Jim's hands gripping Blair's shoulders. The husband and wife had cried, but he'd just looked on in wonder at the tiny hands that waved around on the monitor.

Naomi had come to visit shortly after that, and expressed concern that Jim was acting too much like an expectant father. Jenny had just laughed.

"He's never had this, Naomi. Such a close family. Let him enjoy it."

"Why doesn't he get married and have his own family, then?"

Blair had changed the subject, showing his mother the newest baby things they had gotten and how the nursery was coming along. He and Jenny knew that while Jim still dated occasionally, he'd come to a decision long ago that he didn't want to get married. Some hurts you never got over, and he was still afraid of being rejected. Jenny and Blair, Steven and his father were the only family he needed. Which didn't stop Jenny from keeping on the lookout for a woman for Jim, someone like her that would understand and accept him for who he was.

*o*o*o*

While Jim drove to the hospital, he sent up silent prayers to whoever might be listening that Jenny and the baby made it through okay. They were both healthy, and almost a week past the due date, so there was no real reason to worry. He thought instead about whether the baby would be a boy or a girl. Blair had tried to see if his Sentinel abilities could detect that, but so far they'd come up empty. Jenny had been glad of that; she wanted to be surprised.

He wished he still had a siren in the truck. He tried not to exceed the speed limit but he needed to get there. Blair was having a freak-out, the culmination of nine months of wondering if he'd be a good dad when he'd had no good role model himself growing up. They'd had several conversations about that, during which Jim tried to convince him that he'd be an amazing father. Hadn't he taken Jim in hand all those years ago?

Finally – finally! – he reached Cascade General and swung into the visitor parking lot. He'd drawn the line at accompanying Jenny and Blair to childbirth classes, but he knew where the maternity ward was; just follow the sound of the crying babies. He took the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator, trying to tune in to that fast, fluttery heartbeat he'd come to know so well over the last nine months.

When he burst onto the maternity ward, he scared a nurse who dropped an armload of files all over the floor.

"Sorry. I'm sorry." Jim knelt down and helped her collect all her paperwork. "I'm Jim Ellison, I'm looking for the Sandburgs."

"Are you a family member?"

"Jim!" Blair called from down the hall.

He was on his feet, ignoring whatever else the nurse had to say. His eyes were on his Guide, noting the calm, relaxed face that smiled back at him. Everything had gone fine, and he could finally let out his own nervous breath.

Blair clapped him on the arm. "Come on in, and meet my son."

A boy! Jim entered the room, feeling suddenly shy, pleased to see that Jenny looked well, if not more than a little tired.

"Jimmy," she said with a smile. "You made it!"

"I'm getting a new phone tomorrow," he promised. His eyes were drawn to the tightly swaddled form that Jenny held against her side. Blair took the baby and carefully handed him to Jim.

"I'd like to introduce you to Jamie Miles Sandburg," he said softly.

Jim looked down at his namesake, his senses opening of their own accord to drink in every bit of this new little life. He had a lot of hair, reddish brown and already curly. Deep blue eyes, like his father. A little bow mouth like his mother. Jim bent his head, breathing in that sweet smell that only babies had. He kissed his little forehead, which tasted faintly of powder. A little piece of Blair and a little piece of Jenny, brought together to form a unique human being. His little fingers wrapped around Jim's thumb and he was lost.

"…on back, Jim. It's okay, just follow the sound of my voice."

Jim shook his head. Oh no! He'd zoned! While holding the baby. He shot a look of distress at Blair, who kept on rubbing his back.

"It's okay, big guy. You didn't hurt him. You held him nice and close. It's okay."

Nonetheless, he handed Jamie back to Jenny with a mumbled apology. Jenny caught his hand in hers and squeezed.

"It's alright, Jimmy. You didn't hurt him. You could never hurt him."

"He's so perfect," Jim whispered.

"You won't think so the first time you have to change a diaper," Jenny said with a grin.

Blair guided Jim to a chair and helped him sit down. "You gonna be okay, Jim? Can I get you some water or something?"

Jim shook his head, his eyes still on the baby. He'd never experienced anything like this, and it left him shaken. That little baby had just bumped everyone else down on the list, becoming his top priority. His safety, his happiness…Jim accepted the responsibility for both.

"Everything's going to change again," he said softly.

"Yeah, it is. You okay with that?"

"Oh, yeah. Do you think…will he be like you? A Guide?"

"He could be anything," Blair replied, keeping a hand on Jim's back. "He could be a Guide, a doctor, a tuna fisherman…even a Sentinel."

Jenny grinned at them from the bed. "Whatever he decides he wants to be, I hope he has a friendship as beautiful as the two of you have."

Blair and Jim shared a goofy grin.

*o*o*o*

Jim flipped through the baby name book, chuckling at all the notes in the margins and names that had been underlined, circled, or crossed out. He'd had no idea that so much was involved in choosing a name for a baby. Wouldn't it be easier just to find something you like and go with that? But clearly Blair and Jenny, though probably mostly Blair, were putting way too much thought into meanings, origins and spelling variations.

"Hey, man." Blair came in and flopped down in the easy chair. He'd been wrestling with the crib, insisting that he could put it together himself. Jim had a feeling he was ready finally to ask for help.

"Still looking for the perfect name? I'm surprised you're not looking at other languages."

"Oh, believe me. I did. But Jenny drew the line when I started checking out ancient Tibetan names."

Jim shook his head and tossed the book back on the coffee table. "Have you at least narrowed it down? The last list you guys had was a mile long."

"Oh, yeah, well, we've been talking…" Blair broke off, looking down at his hands.

"You can tell him." Jenny's voice floated down the stairs from the nursery, where she was putting clothes in the dresser.

"Jim, man, I think she's been absorbing some of your Sentinel senses."

With a laugh, Jim grabbed the baby monitor off the end table and shook it. "Nothing quite so mystical, Chief."

Blair blushed as Jenny's laugh echoed from upstairs. "Okay, so my higher brain function isn't where it should be right now. That's common when a household undergoes preparations for a new family member. In Outer Mongolia…"

"Blair, sweetie, I love you. Stop stalling."

He scowled at the ceiling.

"So what's the big secret?" Jim leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "You're not naming the baby Rainbow or something, are you?"

Blair made a face at him. "No. If it's a girl, we decided on Anna."

Jim turned that over in his head. Anna Sandburg. Annie Sandburg. He nodded. "That's pretty."

"It means gracious and merciful in Hebrew. I think those are two pretty good virtues to imbue on a new life."

"Just tell me her middle name won't start with S. Bad initials."

Blair laughed. "No, we're still working on a middle name. I like Rose, after Jenny's grandmother, but she's still undecided."

"And if it's a boy?" Jim asked, wondering why the question made Blair so fidgety.

"Well, you know, we had a lot of choices there. I mean, we wanted a name that was strong, but nothing in-your-face like Clint or Rocko or something."

"Rocko?" Jim shook his head.

"That was never on the table." Jenny came down the stairs and perched on Blair's knee. "Really, there was only ever one choice, but Blair wasn't sure you'd like it."

"Hey, it's not up to me what you name your baby," Jim said, holding up his hands. And hoping it wasn't an overly feminine name. He knew the kind of comments Blair had been exposed to, growing up with the name he had.

"We want to name him Jamie," Blair said softly. "After you."

"What?" Jim sat back. He hadn't expected that, and it made him feel a little funny. "Why?"

"You're one of the best men I know," Jenny said. "And even though he wouldn't admit it, Blair really wanted to do this. Because he thinks so much of you."

"If we have a son, I'd want him to be just like you," Blair said, his voice for Sentinel ears only.

Jim blinked back the sudden sting of tears. He opened his arms. "Puppy pile?"

Jenny and Blair both jumped on him, laughing, and he wrapped his arms around them. "I love this family!"

*o*o*o*

Jamie made his big entrance to much applause; the yard was full of people who had come to help him celebrate his first birthday. He grinned and pulled his hand out of Jenny's so he could walk by himself, happy to show off his newly acquired skill.

"Lord help us, he looks just like his father," Simon said in mock distress.

"Talk to Jim," Blair called from the barbeque. "He's the one who insists on buying Jamie flannel shirts."

Jim shrugged and grinned, but never took his eyes off the little boy that toddled around the yard doing his own version of a meet and greet. With a head full of auburn curls and those big blue eyes in a pudgy little face, he looked like a cherub, minus the wings. Rinny stayed close to his side, on the alert for any trouble; the dog had become a watchman in his own right.

Jamie made his wobbly way over to Jim, and put his arms up, hands opening and closing. "Uh…uh."

Jim swooped the little boy up in his arms, swinging him the way that always made him squeal in delight. Jamie was soon happily tucked against his side, patting his face and laughing.

"Hey, little man," Jim said with a smile. "How's my favorite boy?"

Jamie leaned forward and plastered a wet kiss on Jim's cheek. Blair watched from across the yard, a proud grin on his face. He'd never seen his Sentinel so happy, so settled. He and Jamie had a special relationship, seemingly right from the very first day, and Blair couldn't help thinking how blessed he was. He'd never have imagined that this would be his life when he met Jim all those years ago.

He looked over at Jenny, who was surrounded by her sisters near a table loaded down with food. As if she could feel his gaze on her, she turned and blew him a quick kiss. He tilted his head and she excused herself, coming over to see what he wanted.

"Hey, beautiful." Blair pulled her close and gave her a kiss.

"Hey yourself. You need some help with the burgers?"

"Nope. Just wanted to kiss my pretty wife." And he did it again, just because he could.

"Oh, good news!" Jenny pressed her hands on his chest, her eyes alight with excitement. "I think I found the perfect girl for Jimmy."

"You never give up, do you?"

"Of course not. But listen, my sister Julie finally dumped that jerk she was with and I think she's ready for a real relationship."

"Julie, huh?" Blair looked over at the sisters, and saw that Julie was in fact checking out Jim with interest clearly written on her face. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Julie's the serious one, and I think she'd be a good match for Jim. She loves how good he is with Jamie. I'll feel her out some more, but I think it could work."

"If you're sure, go for it." Blair flipped the burgers. "Although, Jessica is the hot one."

Jenny smacked him in the arm, laughing. "You better amend that statement, buster."

"I meant, after you she's the hot one."

"Am I going to have to disrupt a domestic dispute?" Jim asked, seemingly materializing at Blair's back.

"Tell him, Jim," Jenny said, arms crossed over her chest and smirk on her face.

"Jenny is the hot one, Chief. Might be time to get your prescription checked if you can't tell. Jessica is the bouncy one, Janice is the mean one, and apparently Julie is the perfect-for-Jim one."

Jenny flushed. "What did you do with my son?"

"He's with Hippy Grandma, and don't change the subject."

Blair snorted and put all his attention on the burgers.

"Just talk to her, Jimmy. That's all I'm asking. If you aren't interested, I'll let it go. Honest."

Jim gave her a hard look for a minute before throwing an arm around her shoulder. "Okay, little sister. I'll talk to her. Wasn't she the one hitting on me at the wedding?"

"That's right! I forgot. See? It's a sign."

"It's a sign that you're a meddler." Jim sighed. "Well, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do."

He walked off to where the sisters were gathered, clearly steeling himself. Blair slipped an arm around Jenny's waist and propped his chin on her shoulder.

"That was too easy. I think he already had an eye on her."

They watched as Jim pulled Julie from the group, and walked with her under one of the oak trees. Blair cocked his head, considering, and grinned at the feeling he got from watching the two of them.

"Jenny, you just might be a genius."

"That's why you married me," she replied confidently.

*o*o*o*

"So, you're a Sentinel. Five super senses, right?" Julie studied Jim carefully. They were sitting on Jim's couch, and she had her feet in his lap so he could rub them.

"Yeah. Now you know the big family secret."

"Right." Julie took a sip from the glass of wine in her hand. "You know, I'm not just a pretty face. When Jenny and Blair hooked up, I did my research."

Jim looked at her, eyebrow raised.

"I know all about the so-called novel and the big press conference. Tracked down that Burton book, even."

Now Jim really was surprised. "Why didn't you ever say anything?"

Julie shrugged. "It wasn't my place. Jenny was happy and Blair clearly wasn't a lunatic. It was a compelling story, though. You know, there's an online support group for Sentinels."

"You can only access it with a special invitation." Jim made a mental note to have Blair check on that. They'd tried to impress on all the Sentinelites, as his friend called them, that secrecy was important in order to protect themselves from people who would use their gifts for less than charitable reasons.

"Relax, Jim. The site is still protected. I just know a guy who knows a guy who got some help from you a few years back. What you and Blair do, it's good work. All of it."

Jim felt a weight lift from his chest. He and Julie had been seeing each other for about a month and he'd really fallen for her. Letting her in on the Sentinel thing was the litmus test, and not only had she passed it, she'd completely blown it out of the water.

"So you're okay with it?"

"No. I'm okay with you, Jim. This Sentinel thing, it's not something you can separate from yourself. It's amazing, and the way you've used it is amazing. Thank you for telling me."

He pulled her close, kissing her deeply; she tasted of red wine, strawberries, and mint. He'd already mapped her with his senses, catalogued every scent and taste and touch, and he wanted more. He couldn't believe she'd been right under his nose all this time. Still, he couldn't help but push things. It was a hard habit to break.

"It's not just the Sentinel thing, you know."

"Yeah. I do. Doesn't seem to have hurt Jenny's relationship with Blair any." Julie wiggled her toes and Jim got back to rubbing her feet. "If anything, I'd have to say I've always been a little jealous of how close the three of you are."

"Your sister is pretty amazing in her own right."

"She's got her good points," Julie conceded with a grin. "I know what Blair means to you, how he helps you. I'd never want to get between the two of you. I'm a big girl. I can share."

"Well, in the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you I have a few other quirks."

"Jim, we've been dating for a month. I know all about the color-coded Tupperware and the pathological cleanliness." Julie finished her wine and set the class on the coffee table. "Just like you know I need at least one junk drawer in each room, and I take pictures – lots and lots of pictures."

Jim pretended to think that over. "I can get behind the pictures. The junk drawer, though. I don't know. That might be a deal breaker."

Julie aimed a kick at his stomach but he grabbed her ankle and kissed the top of her foot. She moved around until she was sitting in his lap, arms around his neck.

"One other thing you should know. I'm a forever kind of girl, so if you're not looking long-term you better tell me now."

Jim ran his hands through her hair, feathering out her auburn bob. "I can definitely do long-term. I mean, if you're sure…maybe you should take some time to really think about…"

"I love you, Jim." Julie leaned in and kissed him. It was the first time she'd said the words and he found himself blinking back tears to hear them. He made a vow to himself that he wasn't going to make the same mistakes that he'd made with Carolyn. He wanted this to last, and he wanted it to be like what Jenny and Blair had; strong and loving, a true partnership.

"No secrets. That's all I ask," he whispered. "If something is wrong, if I do or say anything that hurts you, you tell me."

"Only if you do, too," Julie replied.

Jim cupped her face in his hands, unable to stop the smile that spread across his face. "I love you, Julie Miles."

"That's good news," she quipped, though her eyes had gone soft and dewy. "Cause I'm pretty sure you're stuck with me, Mr. Ellison."

"Yeah. I can live with that."

*o*o*o*

Jim sat on the porch swing, listening to Jenny inside the house, trying to coax Jacob to eat his mashed peas. He could sympathize with the kid on that one. Over in the converted barn, Blair was helping Julie put together one of those exersaucer things. He himself swung lazily back and forth, Jamie snuggled up on one side of him and his own baby daughter curled up in the crook of his arm, asleep.

"Uncle Jimmy?" Jamie asked, tucking his curly hair behind his ear in a move so reminiscent of his father that Jim couldn't help but smile.

"What's up, partner?"

"Is Maggie special?"

Jim looked down at his little girl, pink lips puckered in sleep. He wasn't sure exactly what his nephew was getting at. Was he worried that his uncle wouldn't love him the same? Or had he seen what Jim and Blair had already started to notice?

"You're all special," he said finally. "Just in different ways."

Jamie rolled his eyes. "Jacob's just normal," he said dismissively. Jim bit back a laugh. "I think Maggie is the same kind of special you are."

That gave him pause. He looked down into those guileless blue eyes and knew there was more than just a surface resemblance between this five year old boy and his father. Once it would have been automatic for him to deny, to redirect, but things had changed.

"Your dad and I think she is, too."

Jamie nodded solemnly. "She'll probably need help, right? Like Dad helps you?"

Jim nodded. It had been his secret fear, whenever he'd imagined a future with children, that he'd pass his Sentinel abilities on to his offspring. It had been a big stumbling block in his relationship with Julie, and Blair had been the one to help him through that. He reminded Jim that what he had was a gift, and that if his children had it too it would be easier for them because the circumstances would be so different. And he could see now how right his Guide was. If Maggie truly was a Sentinel, she'd be able to develop her senses and learn to use them in a loving, accepting environment. Blair was already prepping a new journal just for her, and devising some infant-friendly testing so they could determine if she was a true Sentinel, or only had some of the heightened senses.

A passing car backfired, and Jim instantly had an arm full of red-faced, screaming baby. He propped her on his shoulder and rubbed her back, murmuring soothing words, but Maggie just kept crying. The problem with babies, Jim thought with a sigh, was that they didn't have any dials.

"Can I hold her?" Jamie asked.

Jim almost said no. He didn't mind the younger boy holding the baby; he was always very careful with both Maggie and Jacob. But a calm and happy baby was different than a crying, thrashing baby. Still, there was something in his face that made him reconsider.

"Okay. Real careful, remember?"

"I know, Uncle Jimmy."

He transferred the baby to Jamie's lap, making sure her head was securely propped on the boy's arm. The result was almost instantaneous. Maggie stopped crying, reduced to just little chuffs of breath, and she seemed to be trying to focus on her cousin's face.

"It's okay, Maggie. You don't have to cry. It was just a car." Jamie rubbed his hand on the baby's stomach. "I bet you don't like loud noises. You just listen to me, okay? I'll talk nice and quiet."

Jim's breath caught when he saw the serene, toothless smile that Maggie favored Jamie with. What he was witnessing seemed so monumental, so important, that the setting seemed completely wrong somehow. And for just the briefest moment, he swore he could smell the jungle.

"Jim?" Blair was on his way across the yard, a puzzled expression on his face. Jim carefully got up off the swing and met him halfway.

"What's going on? I had the weirdest flash. I think I saw my spirit guide."

"Your son," Jim said, turning Blair so he could see their children on the porch swing. "He got Maggie to stop crying when a loud noise scared her."

"Oh yeah? Well, I'm glad he's helping out. He barely gives Jacob the time of day. I keep telling Jenny…"

"He knows, Chief. He knows about Maggie." Jim could see his friend processing that, then his eyes widened.

"How?"

"Because I think…I think he's just like you."

"Whoa," Blair whispered.

Jim watched as Jamie pressed a kiss to the baby's head. Maggie reached up and grabbed a handful of curls with one chubby little hand. The older boy just smiled and kept talking to her.

Blair leaned back against Jim, who kept his hands on his friend's shoulders. "'And together we will float into the mystic.'"

"You start singing and I'm going to hurt you," Jim said with a grin.

"Are you okay with this, big guy? It's…wow, it's just amazing."

"I don't know if okay is the right word, Chief. But I'll manage. I want more for Maggie, you know? Better than I had. And if Jamie can do for her what you do for me…well, then she's already way ahead of the game."

Blair surprised him by turning around and capturing him in a bear hug. He smelled salty tears and looked down to see that his Guide was crying. Jim hugged him back.

"Getting sentimental on me, Blair?"

"I guess so," he sniffed in reply. "It's just…this is everything I ever wanted. And I don't know what I did to deserve it all."

"Good karma," Jim murmured.

That got them both laughing, and Blair took a step back, swiping at his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt. "Think we're ready for what's coming next?"

"Arms wide open, Chief."

AN: Blair's quote at the end is from the song Into the Mystic, by Van Morrison.

The song did in fact inspire this fic, though I had originally intended on ending it after Jamie was born. My muse, bully that he is, had other ideas and so it just kept growing. Kept this nice and fluffy, thought the boys could use a break after all the stuff I normally put them through. If you liked this, please let me know. Even if it makes my muse all smug and snotty. LOL!