Disclaimer: The Sentinel belongs to UPN/Paramount and Pet Fly Productions. No copyright infringement is intended and no money has changed hands.
Author's note: This was my final piece in creative writing class. They liked it, but I don't know if it actually sounds like it's Blair talking. Feedback would be most welcome!
WARNING! Death story!
Well, I guess I shouldn't have gone out tonight. Man, this sucks! I just know Jim is going to blame himself for this, but it's not his fault! I should have remembered that this guy was trolling the bars for his victims. Some observer I am. Was. Damn! This is going to take some getting used to. I wonder why I'm still here. Maybe because of Jim? That he hasn't figured this out yet? I remember when Alex drowned me, I became the wolf in Jim's dream. I actually saw that! So what's different now?
Oh, someone must have heard me yelling that last time, 'cause there's the cops. Man! This is going to kill Jim! He's been after this guy for weeks, and now he's going to have to deal with him having gotten me. The uniforms are searching the whole warehouse. They haven't found me yet. I hope they get to me before the rats do. I'd hate for the little buggers to alter any of the evidence. I really want this guy caught now! Not that I didn't before. I guess that could seem a little selfish, but hey, I'm dead now. I can think what I want!
The uniform's flashlight finally finds my body. Good. Ugh! The creep really did a number on me! Good thing I don't have a stomach any more, or its contents would be making a reappearance. The uniformed officer shouts to draw the attention of his fellows. Well, now for the forensics stuff to get started. They'll call Simon soon, and Jim. My wallet and ID is still here, so they're going to know straight off that I'm a cop.
If I could snort, I would. If nothing else, this guy has just made the biggest mistake of his life. Even before I was a cop, back when I really was just an observer, when I had only just met Jim, I knew that cop killers quickly became the most hunted people on the face of the planet, and with Jim it's going to be worse. I'm his partner, and we're as close to being brothers as we could possibly get. I just hope Jim doesn't do anything stupid. I don't mean killing himself. Even if he decides to go that route, he'd catch this guy first. No, I mean that I hope he doesn't go primal on this guy. I don't want him getting off on a technicality, and I don't want Jim to end up in prison for taking him out. The bastard isn't worth it!
Lights have been set up now, and the forensics people are here. They start with pictures and then begin to gather the physical evidence. There should be a lot, at least from me. I think I managed to claw the killer's face, so maybe there will be something usable under my fingernails. They still have to catch the guy, but still, it's something. Dan Wolfe is here already. He'll be the one to examine me. Damn. I remember the first time I ever saw an autopsied body. He was there, doing the examination, and he just ripped the sheet off, and I had to find a bathroom real quick. He curses as he recognizes my face, and he digs around in my jacket until he's found my badge and ID. By the look on his face, he didn't want to believe that it was me. Come on, Dan. You can break down later. I'm glad that you like me enough to cry, but you've got a job to do. You've got to help them catch this guy! He wipes his eyes on the sleeve of his lab coat and calls one of the uniforms over. "Call Major Crimes, ask for Banks. Tell him...no. I'll tell him. Just get him on the wire." He looks down at my face. "You couldn't ever have it easy, could you, kid." Sorry, Dan. That's just not the way my life works out. Never has.
Oh, man! I just figured out why I'm still here! It's just like with Molly, that ghost that Jim saw in the Trent case! She never saw her killer, so she couldn't rest. And I didn't see this guy, don't know who he is. Shit! It had better not take that long to solve this one. I don't like the idea of waiting around in this warehouse for thirty years until some hotshot comes along with an armload of cold case files! Not that I'm impatient, or anything. I just don't like to be still. Just ask anyone.
Dan's on the radio with Simon. I wonder how he's going to react to all this. I know they're going to try to take this out of Jim's hands, but will someone try to take Major Crimes off the case because of this? God, I hope not. Jim isn't going to let them take him off the case anyway. He'll turn in his badge first. God, just don't let Jim go over the edge on this. Please!
It takes a while for Simon to show up. By that time, Dan's already thrown a sheet over me. Good. I want as few people to see me like that as possible. That's just humiliating. I mean, I know it's necessary, but still! Limited exposure would be good. Dan pulls the sheet back just enough to show Simon my face. My boss goes as white as it is possible for a black man to become. I wish I could comfort him. Isn't that rich? I'm the dead guy, but I'm still trying to comfort those around me. Simon stands up and he's staring into space, space that my astral self just happens to be inhabiting. Not that he sees me or anything. He says, "God, why did it have to be him?"
I'd heave a sigh if I could. This is going to be hard on all my friends, especially the ones in Major Crimes, since they've been trying to catch this guy. Sure, it was mine and Jim's case, but everyone was helping out. And now the bastard got me. I know its him; I can see everything here, and it's the same M.O.
Dan recovers my face and helps the captain to straighten up. He asks, "Did you call Ellison yet?"
Simon nods. "I waited until I got here, but yeah. I should get out there to make sure he doesn't just tear through here. You might want to hurry and get...get the body loaded up and onto a stretcher. If we can get him outside before Jim gets here, it'll be easier."
Don't worry, Simon. I'm not going to let him just slip off on you. He's not going to zone and he's not going to destroy evidence. He's going to solve this thing so I can rest, and I'm going to make sure he knows that's what he's doing.
Dan's got my body into a bag now, and the techs are picking it up to put on the stretcher. I notice that I've changed the way I think about it. That's not me any more. I'm out here. Where no one can see me. Damn, but that's annoying! Ah, but I know that one person will be able to see me. I'll just have to figure out how to show myself to Jim so I can get him started on solving this.
Just as they get the stretcher outside, Jim's truck pulls in. I watch, knowing this is going to be bad. He gets out of the truck his face already ghost white, no pun intended. He spots the bag. Shit! Simon! I don't know if he actually heard me, but he spins and sees Jim running for the stretcher. They get there at about the same time. Jim's face...Oh, man.
Jim's face is streaked with tears. He already knows, but he has to look anyway, so he opens the zipper on the body bag just enough and sees my face there. This is my unfinished business. I know that now, by the look in his face. Jim is why I'm still here, not the Slasher. Not that getting the bad guy isn't still going to be top priority. Jim isn't going to let him get away with this, and I'm not too inclined to, either, but I'm staying with Jim, even after. I won't be staying in this warehouse, either. I'll be tagging along with my Sentinel until it's his time, and then we'll go together.
Jim hasn't said a word other than my name since he got here. I check his face. Sure enough, he's zoning. Shit. What can I do? I'll have to see if I can poltergeist him. I'm shouting now. Jim! Wake up! This is SO not the time to be doing this, man! Come on, Jim you've got to get this guy for me! Jim!
Simon tries to drag him back, but it's not happening. Jim! Finally he seems to notice me there. Somehow I knew he would be able to see me. It's really amazing how far our bond goes. Jim, I'm not leaving you. I'll be here until you're ready to come with me, and that shouldn't be for a very long time. You still have to be the protector of this city, Jim. You're still the Sentinel. He comes out of his zone finally and really looks at me. "Blair?"
Simon's staring at Jim. He's probably wondering what the hell his detective is looking at. Yeah, Jim, I'm here. I won't leave you. He closes his eyes for a moment, then opens them again and nods. He stands up straight now and rezips the bag. Simon is cautious with him, not knowing what to expect. Jim looks at me one more time, then turns to the captain. Simon says, "Jim, are you going to be all right?"
Jim shakes his head. "No. Never again. But I'm not letting this guy walk either. Don't worry, Simon. We'll do it by the book. I know you can't let me anywhere near this right now, but I'll have my snitches combing the streets, and I'll call in some of my other contacts, see if anyone has heard anything. I want this guy rotting in prison for the rest of his miserable life."
It's three days later when the funeral is held. Somehow, I know that Jim isn't going to stay here. He isn't going to make it. I hope I'm wrong. I don't want him to come before his time, but I know my partner, and I've seen him get pretty close to this before. I was the one to pull him back last time. I don't think Simon will be able to do so. He'll just zone out and allow himself to starve to death.
He caught the strangler. He had to be restrained once he caught up to him, and I made sure to get in his face about it. I don't want him spending the rest of his life in prison for killing that bastard. He's sitting there now in the front row between Naomi and Simon. He carries the urn that contains my ashes. It's a small thing, about the size of a soda can. I picked it out a long time ago, had it sitting in a safe deposit box at the bank. It's decorated with a wolf's head on one side and the Chopec's symbol for Shaman on the other. I know that Naomi will receive my flag and Jim will get all the stuff in the loft. Not that I think that's going to be a consideration. Jim and I will be together again very soon. I'm glad, in a way. I wish he would hang on, but I miss him, too.
Everyone from Major Crimes is here. I'm glad that I had a chance to work with these men and women. They really are Cascade's finest, in all the ways you could possibly take that. The eulogy is read, and a Shaman of the Chopec comes forward to place a flower that he brought with him from Peru in the same hole that they'll lower the urn into. He says a few things in Chopec. Too bad I never learned the language. Jim gets up and hands the urn to the Shaman, who slips a bit of twine around the rim and lowers my mortal remains into the hole.
I guess that's it, until Jim's ready to leave. I loved this life. Maybe it ended too soon, but I know that I did a hell of a lot of good while I was here. I hope most people can say that.
The End