Title: Prodigal Son

# 5 in the Father Figure Series

Author: Amethyst

Pairing: none

Warning: DD/CP

Summary: Blair thinks about Jim's role in his life.

This is the standard disclaimer. They don't belong to me. This story is not intended to violate any copyrights held by Paramount, UPN, or Pet Fly Productions.

This story contains DD/CP. Be warned.

Jim was nothing if not precise. Exactly one hour later the door to the loft opened and Jim entered carrying a take-out bag. He glanced over at the still figure on the couch. Blair remained in the same spot as when Jim had left. A testimony as to how serious Blair considered the matter at hand. Blair was rarely still.

Jim placed the take-out on the kitchen counter and slowly brought himself back to the loveseat. He sat down and gave Blair his full attention.

Full Sentinel attention. He tracked the dried tear trail down Blair's left cheek, the slightly elevated heartbeat, the effort being made to maintain a calm
and even breathing rhythm, the tension of neck and shoulder muscles extending down to two barely fisted hands.

Even as Blair's body signaled anger and frustration, his eyes were still the best way to understand the young man's state of mind.

Jim drew his gaze up to Blair's face and two pair of blue eyes locked. Blair
turned the full power of his emotions on his companion. But it was neither anger nor frustration that meet Jim's eyes, it was confusion and hurt.

"Alright. You've had YOUR say, now listen to mine. You can answer questions, but only if I ask. GOT IT?" Blair's voice was started quietly but rose with each word until the last was loud and his words were tremulous.

Jim answered with a displeased expression causing a slight flush to slowly start up Blair's neck and extended to the roots of his disheveled brown hair. The slightly embarrassed young man broke eye contact, choosing to stare at a throw pillow in his hand.

"I know you do all the things you said. All the things to take care of me and watch out for me. I know you do them and I appreciate it, I do man. But I never asked you to, you just do. It started with just a thing here and there, a ride, a loan until payday, a place to stay for a week or two, a little comfort and thoughtfulness when I had that cold from hell, remember? Then it was SAVING my life, RESCUING me from the clutches of evil villains, male AND female, being there in the middle of the night when I'd wakeup scared OUT OF MY MIND. Standing up for me to Simon and the rest of the guys at the PD, like when they did that lame ghost setup and when Simon thought I was leaking info.... Like a couple of weeks ago when I got confused and upset after the knifing at the racetrack. And after that little incident with Lisa. "

Blair took a deep breath and very slowly exhaled. This was harder than he thought it would be. Since when was he uncomfortable expressing his emotions? He would have to give Jim more credit for earlier. If it was this hard for him, it
must have been damn near impossible for his repressed roommate.

"I think you're right about one thing. I DO let you take care of some things for me. More things than even I realized until now. I just never sat back and made a list, you know man? But listening to you and thinking about it while you were gone made me see it. Made me.....acknowledge it. Made me understand that you've made this my home, a safe place to go to when things get crazy, when the university is making me tear my hair out, when politics takes over common sense, both at school and at the station, and when we both come back from our latest adventure by way of the emergency department. When I just want to kickback in a warm spot with my trusty companion. Hi, Ho Silver, away." A small smile tugged at his lips and he was suddenly pleased to see the same smile twitch across Jim's face too.

"Maybe, just MAYBE, some times I feel a little like you're a father type kind of guy. I don't have much experience with the concept, OK? Maybe it feels kind good to know you always there, not always happy with me, but always there, to make things all right or if not all right than a little better. MAYBE, I've grown to depend on that constant. That no matter how ..UNCAUTIOUS I've been, you'll show up, OK? " Blair took a moment to draw in a deep breath.

"Is uncautious a word Chief? Maybe RECKLESS would work there" A high beam glared
silenced further comments.

In a quiet, subdued voice came, "Maybe I like a father now and then. You know?"

Jim took advantage of the break in conversation. " Is that a question? Can I answer that?" Not waiting for an answer, Jim plunged in to the brief silence.

"Blair, you can't have a certain role for me to be only when you want it. Only when it's pleasant and comfortable and advantageous for YOU. There are two of us in this relationship. I can't just turn off one role to be the next, no matter what you think. I know you think I go from Blessed Protector to ex-ranger to detective to friend like I'm changing my socks, but I don't. I'm ALWAYS all those things for you, all the time. One may be more evident at certain times, but they're all there. Protector, guardian, teacher, companion, comforter, friend, disciplinarian.............father figure type guy. It doesn't turn off Junior, it IS the constant. The good and the bad of it. "

Jim gave Blair a long, searching look. "The question is, now that you see it, can you live with it? Can you live with everything that goes with me being a father figure to you? The love and attention, the protection and the friendship, the discipline and the teaching. It's ALL part of the package, Blair. Comfort when you need it and punishment when you need it, too. A constant you can always depend on. Even when you don't want it."

Blair stared at the floor, thoughts and emotions running at warp speed through his mind. He realized Jim was promising everything Blair had missed growing up without a strong male role model, at least one that remained constant more than a few months at a time. One that wouldn't leave. One that was here because he loved Blair, not because he loved Naomi. This time Naomi was the extra baggage, the one to be tolerated because she came with the package named Blair Sandburg. He suddenly knew he wanted what Jim was offering. All of it. The good and the bad. Even if that meant taking the teaching and the discipline. Maybe even because of the teaching and the discipline. The spankings hurt, hurt a lot. Jim was a very strong and powerfully built man. Blair had had a demonstration of Jim's "flip and hold technique" a few weeks ago when he had let his emotions get in the way of common sense during recovery from an infected injury. Jim had literally turned his world upside down and snapped him back to reality with an unexpected and decidedly painful spanking. Then again over an incident with a student at the university. As much as Blair hated to admit it, it had worked. Afterwards, Jim had held him and comforted him. Explaining everything that had been upsetting and confusing him had been so much easier to talk about after the spanking was over. Easier to seek comfort in the warm, protective embrace. Decision made, he turned to face his partner.

"Even if I admit I like, ...a-and maybe want, you to be there for me like this, it doesn't make up for your "lesson". That was like so cruel man. You had me scared half to death. It was sooo not kwel. It was like you had no respect for me as an adult. I still can't believe you'd put me in that position!"

Agitation returned to the young man at the thought of what he had gone through earlier in the day.

Jim's eyes narrowed and he captured both Blair's upper arms in a firm grasp. Blue eyes linked.

"You had BETTER believe it, Junior! You put you life at risk, at real PERMANANT type risk. You walked, no that's not EVEN close, you RAN straight into a situation even you could see was MAJOR trouble. You were 2 minutes PASSED time to be rescued when I showed up, or has that little fact escaped your notice!! And for what? Why? Because you couldn't resist could you?" Each sentence was punctuated with a jarring shake.

Jim released his captive and paced to the far side of the kitchen, struggling for control.

"Do you have any idea, how I felt when I saw you laying there with that dart sticking out of your chest? Do you realize what was going to happen? All because you can't say no to yet ANOTHER strange woman?"

Blair heaved a huge sigh. He didn't want to admit it, hell, he didn't want to even think about it, but Jim was right. Damn him! Blair had been well on his way to being a goner, another statistic on the Major Crimes board. And all because of a woman.

Blair grimaced slightly. "She was a knockout."

Jim turned to face him. " I'll knock YOU out, if you ever pull that again. Better yet, I'll tan your butt until sitting becomes a just memory for you. As a matter of fact, that is exactly what you can look forward to after dinner. You'd better hope you don't have a whole lot of sitting to do over the next few days Junior. You lecture standing up, don't you?" A small smile dulled the sharpness of his words. The stern eyes and firm, uncompromising tone carried the promise to follow through before the evening was over.

Wide dark blue eyes snapped up to meet pale unwavering blue ones. Blair swallowed hard and nodded his head, more in acceptance of his fate than in answer to the teasing question.

Blair scuffed the kitchen floor with the toe of his shoe. " I still don't like your idea of a lesson. You scared me."

"That was the point Chief. You should have been scared. You were going to die, and not pleasantly and not right away. If it helps any, I was scared. I don't want to lose you, kid. Especially to something that could have been avoided. You promised me less than a week ago you'd be more careful. You promised you'd think things through, be less inclined to jump to the rescue before getting all the facts, take precautions in unknown situations. You were also warned what to expect if you failed to keep your promises."

A very soft "I know" touched Jim's ear.

Blair looked at the older man and moved to arms length from him.

"About every thing you said earlier, you know? I just wanted to say that I do too. Love you, that is. I 'm kind new at this permanence type relationship thing, OK? I might not do or say everything right but, I care man, more than I knew I could. And in answer to your question, yeah, I guess I can live with it. But DON'T do that again. Talk to me, OK? PRETEND you think I'm an adult. huh?"

"Act like an adult, kid, and I treat you like one. Act like an irresponsible child, who doesn't honor his own promises and I treat you like one. I think that fits the bill tonight, Junior." Jim crossed his arms solidly over his chest.

Blair shifted nervously and touched Jim's left arm. "I'm sorry, Jim. I know it was a bad choice to go with her. I know I broke my promise. I-I'll be ready later when you, you know, when you're ready." A pleased smile blossomed across Jim's face as he reached out and lightly slapped both of Blair's cheeks.

"After we eat, Chief. It'll be time soon enough."

"We OK with this man?" Blair's nerves were temporarily contained.

"We will be, Chief. " A small nod of a curly head signaled Blair's acceptance of his fate.

"What did you get for dinner?"

"Louie's garbage plates. The works!!"

"Cholesterol spike!"

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Junior. And sit up straight at the table."

"This is sooooo not right, man."