Disclaimer: The characters and concepts of The Sentinel do NOT belong to me. This is for entertainment purposes only. No money is being made from this.
Author's Notes: This is a response to Senfic Mailing List Challenge. Basically the challenge was to write a story where every sentence started with a different letter of the alphabet going in sequence and using each letter only once. I take full responsibility for any and all run on sentences-special liberties to try and stay within the framework of the rules. I'm not sure if this is what the challenger had in mind, but maybe I'll get points for effort. After all, when I got stuck on Z, I almost(the temptation was practically overwhelming) used it for zee end :-). Enjoy.
Comments welcome at: testhom@netzero.net
LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE
by Michelle Furnas
A cool breeze drifted across the lone figure leaning against the balcony railing.
Blair Sandburg stood, arms outstretched, bathing in the early morning light.
Calmness suffused his being.
Daring to indulge in a contented sigh, he didn't even care if he woke his roommate.
Ellison himself could use some of this tranquillity.
For four weeks they'd been working a nightmare of a case.
God what kind of a monster targeted children?
How Jim could detach himself from the images, Blair was starting to think he would never know because all he kept seeing were the bodies of those little innocent victims.
I thought I was going to go crazy before that case was over-quietly crawl into a corner and completely lose it.
Jim told me that's a testament to my humanity.
Kaleidoscopes of color danced across the smooth, glassy surface of the bay, none lingering but a moment as the sun continued its graceful ascent.
Letting go of all the horror and tragedy he'd been witness to, giving it up, freeing himself of the weight, he was now ready to accept another burden in its place-a cycle that would be repeated countless times in his life.
Morning had come to Cascade, a new day, a new beginning.
"Nature's first green is gold," Blair silently quoted the Frost poem thinking the man had certainly gotten it right.
One of these days, he'd have to share this with his roommate although Jim would surely inform him that he'd seen a sunrise before.
Perspective and participation were everything though as well as attaching at least some kind of deeper meaning to the event whether it's a second chance, starting over, a chance to make up for past mistakes or just being damn glad to be alive.
Quirking his eyebrows, he laughed to himself, thinking he should offer a class called Sunrises 101 which of course would contain all of the personnel from Major Crimes, including the great Captain Simon Banks.
Resisting the urge, or at least trying to resist the urge, to picture Taggart, Brown, Rafe, Jim, Simon and others standing outside in their pajamas, notebooks in hand, studiously taking notes on how to appreciate the essence of a sunrise, he started to quietly chuckle and then laugh outright.
Shoving his fist in his mouth, he bit down on his knuckles to dampen the sound, lest Jim awaken to find him apparently laughing over nothing and think he really had gone over the deep end.
The laughter finally abated, but not before he had turned and caught the inscrutable gaze of his partner who stood watching him from the loft railing.
Unsure how long Jim had been observing him, Blair couldn't decide if he should offer apologies for waking the Sentinel or explanations for his good humor so he went to pour two cups of coffee instead.
Visualizing how he must have looked to Jim, standing all alone on the balcony, laughing after the horrible case they had just finished, he wondered if the older man would understand his need to cleanse himself of the remorse and guilt and sadness that had overwhelmed him these last four weeks.
Watching the Sentinel descend the loft staircase, the same intense, unreadable expression on his face, Blair was waiting for Jim to say something, surprised when the older man just silently approached him until the two men were face to face, eye contact never broken.
X-rays, Blair thought humorously, enduring what he was sure was a Sentinel examination of his well-being, continuing his silent conversation amidst the scrutiny-the man probably thinks I hit my head and need x-rays or a cat scan or something so I guess I better reassure him before I get dragged off to the nearest emergency room, but before he could verbalize himself, Jim's statement and smile filled the silence.
"You haven't laughed in weeks, Chief, and God," he said laying both his hands on Blair's shoulders, giving them a light squeeze, before continuing, "I missed that sound-do it again."
Zestfully the anthropologist complied, happy to oblige his friend and share his good mood with the person who meant the most to him on this earth, content with the knowledge that Sentinel and Guide were at peace and for now, all was right with the world.
**The End**