Disclaimer: The main characters are not mine, this is an amateur effort written purely for the fun of it, and no money has exchanged hands, and it is not intended to breach the copyright of Paramount and Pet Fly Publication. Stargate main characters are not mine, I just got to play with them, copyright is with Gekko and MGM, please see part one for a full disclaimer.

With thanks to Gail, for your help and for Connie for your beta reading, any errors are mine.

This story is an AU, and a crossover between The Sentinel and Stargate SG1, with inspiration from MIB.

Throwback

Part Three

Blair woke lying on his stomach, with a warm blanket draped over him. It was when he tried to move that he realized his blanket was human. Opening his eyes slowly, and blinking away the sleep he saw Jim. The sentinel was half covering him, and he was going nowhere fast. It was then his bladder began to kick in; telling him that unless he moved soon it was going to get messy really fast.

Fully aware that sudden noise could cause pain to a sentinel, he spoke softly, trying to wake Jim up. On some level the man must have heard him, but the result was far from the one that he wanted, if anything, he was pulled closer and the sleepy sentinel nuzzled the back of his neck, contentedly then relaxed.

//This isn’t working.// “Jim come on man, open your eyes and smell the coffee. Damn. Okay big guy you asked for it.” Blair tried to move enough to free his arm that was trapped under him, his body pushing up against Jim’s stomach. He heard the growl, and immediately laid still.

//You don’t like that do you, your guide pillow trying to move.// He sighed in relief as the door opened and a nurse walked in. The light level in the room hadn’t changed so they must have closed the outer door, not wanting to hurt the sentinel by exposure to harsh light. He was all for that. He didn’t want to hurt Jim, but if he did not move soon, he was going to have one hell of a nasty surprise.

“Nurse.”

Nothing. She just made a notation on the chart by the door. Careful not to come too far into the room to cause a violent reaction by crossing the sensory net, that Jim would have thrown around the room last night.

“Nurse, please, you have to help me.”

She put the chart back. Rules were rules, you did not talk to the guide, especially when they were in the after stage of bonding. If there were anything wrong with the guide the sentinel would have woken.

With disbelief Blair watched her turn her back on him, and leave.

He hit his head against the pillow in frustration and for the first time he really felt scared. He had been, hell, he was a Commander in the GDP Guide Corp, and as a Alien did not have to work under the same rules as an ordinary guide, but here all they knew about him was that he was a guide. As such he had no rights, of privacy or citizenship, only those sentinel would allow him to have. As far as the hospital staff was concerned he had to wait for Jim to lead.

Self doubt began to enter Blair’s mind, what if he bonded to Jim, could he lose some of his status? No alien had ever bonded to an all human sentinel, and with him being on the disabled list at the GDP, they could turn on him. Decree that in bonding, he had forfeited his right to alien status, that he had become a full earth citizen. That in bonding without the sanction of the GDP, he had violated his oath as a GDP officer, and that would leave him nothing more that an ordinary, hell a rogue guide, and he knew that happened to them. His only escape was in completing the mission, getting home to Varian Free, and somehow avoiding actually having to bond with Ellison.

At the back of his mind a voice told him, “you made your bed Sandburg, you can lie in it. Do you really think that Jim is going to let you go. You can already feel him. You might not have finished bonding, but he’s already in your blood, and do you really think that Brackett is going to let you go.”

Blair shivered; it was a coldness of the soul not the body.

“Morning,” the voice was sleep roughened, and was backed up with a nuzzle against his neck, and a light nip to his throat, as he was tasted.

The weight lifted as Jim shifted onto his side.

//Finally,// Blair started  move on to his knees only to be pushed back down by a heavy hand in the small of his back, he managed to roll over on to his back, “Uh oh,” he knew that look. Jim was looking down at him really looking at him; it was unnerving it was as if he could see to his very soul.  [

Blair jumped as a hand stroked his flank, then across his stomach, then up his arm to his shoulder. The broad strokes were repeated. The logical part of Jim Ellison apparently had taken a vacation this morning. He was looking at the pure Dark Sentinel, the primal part of the man, who had his guide, and was examining. //oh shit he’s mapping me.// Blair knew he was in deep trouble, each morning a sentinel would set his senses on his guide, almost like fine tuning them, so far Jim had resisted, now it seemed the Dark Sentinel had taken control.

 Blair tried to push him away, only to have a hand press on his forehead, forcing him back down again, with a growl. “Okay big guy so you don’t want me to move, I guess I can hold it a bit longer.” Blair leaned his head back and looked up at the ceiling, and for the first time saw the camera, //made sense that they would want to record any activity in the rooms.// But he colored all the same at the idea of someone watching and recording them.

The hand returned, stroking his chest, as if trying to keep him calm, then the sentinel moved so the his arms held him, one draped across his hips the other laying heavily across his chest.

When he felt the rasp of a tongue across his stomach, Blair jolted, with a cry of surprise and tried to sit up, only to have the sentinel hold him down using his weight. A second swipe along his flank made his breath catch, his heart began to pound faster. By the third lick to his shoulder, Blair was fighting for air.

The pain in his head was increasing with every lick. It felt as if his head were going to explode, the pathways in his mind pulsating, as without coherent thought he began to reach out mentally towards the sentinel. Even as he did so with a shaky hand he slid his fingers into the short dark hair, lightly rubbing the sentinel’s head.

Blair’s heart was pounding in his chest and his pathways began to throb to the same beat. The pain began to increase, then it was like liquid fire and he threw his head back screaming his sentinel’s name as he gasped for air.

The Dark Sentinel had heard the need in his guide’s voice. The change in his scent was recorded as were each gasp and each breath he took. The musky white chocolate smell was thickening out, and the Sentinel was purring his approval. His mate was ready, now was the time to claim his guide. The Dark Sentinel lifted his head, and rubbed his face against Blair’s hand as he purred, the noise vibrating deep in his throat.

Deep down the Dark Guide recognized its mate, and the last defenses that Blair had clung too were swept away. All fears forgotten. All he knew was that he wanted... needed to bond.

0-0-0-0-0

Out in the corridor, NID Agent Jefferson, picked up file that had been left on the nurse’s station, and tucked it under his arm, it was amazing what access a white coat could give you. His hand brushed his weapon, and slid it out of its holster and into the file.

Blair couldn’t wait any longer; he began to tug at the larger sentinel.

The Dark Sentinel, had now made its way to his collarbone, was nuzzling away, nipping and tasting. Now nothing mattered. To the sentinel the guide was willing and Blair felt the Dark Sentinel’s mind push against his. He no longer tried to block him, he just lowered his barriers.

At the moment of bonding; the Dark Sentinel’s head suddenly snapped around, his teeth bared, as he pushed out his senses. His hearing sliced through the silence created by the white noise generator like a hot knife through butter, and the growl became blood curdling.

Jim pushed himself up on all fours, his body coiling, the growling becoming louder, and he lunged. Jefferson had only just stepped into the room and never even had time to bring his gun up, when he was hit by 200 pounds of Primal Sentinel.

The man was smashed into the wall. The hand holding the gun was broken at the wrist, and the gun fell to the floor. As a grip like Iron, took him round the throat. Jefferson found himself looking into the soulless eyes of the Dark Sentinel. He was no longer a man. He was an ancient terror. Looking towards the bed, the sentinel took in his guide, his mate, the frightened eyes, the heavy bruising across his body, and the sentinel’s anger turned to a blood rage. With a roar, he tore the attacker’s throat out with his bare hands, and then stalked over to his guide. [

Blair’s eyes were fixed on the blood stained hands, in disbelief. Those long claws had come from the sentinel’s finger tips. Raising his eyes to Jim’s face, he tried to scuttle backwards away from the advancing sentinel. As he raised a hand to ward him off, now he truly looked at the face of the Primal Dark Sentinel.

The Dark Sentinel stopped, his head tilting to one side, and the growling became softer, turning into a soft cooing, as he edged closer. The blood had frightened his guide, reaching out the Dark Sentinel wiped his hands on the edge of one of the blankets, and then reached for his guide.

The claws looked razor sharp, they could shred him like paper, but this time Blair did not pull back, and he allowed himself to be pulled into a hug. One clawed hand was splayed across the back of his head, as the other ran over his body, with great care. With touch and voice, the sentinel was trying to make him feel safe and cherished. He could feel the sentinel’s teeth scrape across his skin, and he tilted his head back to allow the sentinel access to his throat. The sentinel nuzzled at his throat then bit down marking him. Blair groaned out loud, and the sentinel purred even louder. He eased his arms round the sentinel, and rested his head on a muscular shoulder. Aggression was running through the older man, he was in Blessed Protector mode full force. Blair knew he had to calm Jim down otherwise the next person through the door would die.

Then the full truth hit him hard, like everyone else who had read Burton’s book, he had made a grave error. Dark Sentinels were considered the most primal of throwbacks. They were fast and stronger than their modern counterparts. Jim had been following a primal pattern of courting him, offering him warmth, food and protection.

Now he knew what Burton had actually meant; the most powerful of the Dark Sentinels could merge with their Spirit Guides. A Dark Sentinel could adapt their form, by channeling the powers of their spirit guide. Modern sentinels had been told via the GDP teaching it was myth. Jim had not even tried to do it, and it had come to him as natural as breathing, the moment he had been threatened. Blair amended that, no it was the moment he, the guide, had been threatened that the Adaptor had come forward. They were no longer a myth, they were now living fact.

The claws retracted as the Dark Sentinel retreated leaving only the man.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Doctor Lindsay came back into the room with his bagel, and glanced at the screen, Room one, O’Neill and Jackson were still sleeping, the sentinel curled round his guide. Room two Ellison and Sandburg.

“Shit,” As he saw the crumpled body in the white coat and the widening pool of blood, he dropped the bagel and hit the security alert button. Something had gone very wrong.

Ignoring all protocol Lindsay rushed in then froze as he found himself looking down the barrel of the automatic the sentinel had scooped it up from the small table by the side of the bed. All the doctor could see was the barrel; it seemed as wide as a subway tunnel.

It took an almost inhuman effort to look past it. The sentinel’s hand was steady. He had swept his guide behind him, and now the guide was kneeling upright, with one arm curled round the sentinel’s chest, his face pressed the back of his neck. His body pressed against the sentinel’s back, his mouth was moving silently as he whispered in his ear. The sentinel was listening to him, then his eyes never leaving the face of the Doctor, he reached a hand back and stroked his guide affectionately.

Blair was fighting for balance. He had managed to stop Jim from blasting the doctor in half when he rushed in. //Jeeze where did they get these guys.// He just knew the man wouldn’t listen to him, but all the same he had to try. “Doctor, back out of here now, I have him under control.”

“Guide.” The condescending tone rankled Blair. “You have to let me help you.”

The doctor tried to edge forward, and Blair could feel Jim tense feeding off the emotions he was broadcasting. So taking a deep mental breath Blair knew what he had to do. “Commander Sandburg GDP Guide Corp, now do what I say or I’ll have you throw out. Don’t make me sanction you.”

“No Sir,” the doctor backed out slowly, keeping his hands clear. //There was going to be hell to pay for this,// the doctor thought bitterly. //Just what I need a bloody GDP Guide Officer.//

Jim lowered the gun the threat was gone for the moment; his guide had broken his cover for him. It showed that no matter what the kid thought now or later they were linked, and next time they would bond. And Blair would be his, “Nice to meet you Commander” Jim’s voice had a touch of sarcasm to it; he waited a beat then added, “finally.” Jim Ellison was back, as the Dark Sentinel was pushed away, no longer needed.

“You knew.”

Jim turned to look at his guide, “did you really think that I wouldn’t follow up on what you told me about the mixer. You’re mine Sandburg, you might have been able to choose once, but not any longer.” His gaze raked up and down Blair’s body, as with out any pretence he opened his senses up. Aggressively scenting his guide. Making sure that the guide knew, and then with a push he toppled Blair onto his back, and moved to cover him. At the last moment the sentinel’s hand snapped up and he fired, and the camera exploded. This was not for anyone else’s eyes.

0-0-0-0-0

Simon arrived quickly; he had taken the doctor up with his offer of bagels in the doctor’s break room, and was coming back to the monitor room when he heard the alarms going off. Dropping them in the trash can he began to run. He should have known that he couldn’t leave Ellison and Sandburg on their own.

Doctor Lindsay caught his arm, as he reached for the door to the hospital room, “the sentinel’s in there and he’s armed.”

“I’ll handle it Doctor, just keep the people back.” Simon put his gun back in its holster and kept his hands clear as he went though the door.

Sandburg was flat on his back and Ellison was kneeling over him, on all fours. Ellison grabbed the automatic and had it trained on the door as Simon came in.

Stepping over the body, the Captain his eyes never leaving the sentinel then bent down and checked for a pulse. Dead. “Agent report.” His tone became hard, “Agent Ellison report now.”

It was only when the gun was lowered, that Simon released the breath he hadn’t known he was holding. It confirmed that the man and not the Primal sentinel was now in charge.

Jim eased back kneeling upright, so that he was straddling his guide. As he put the safety on the gun, Blair tried to sit up only to be pushed back down again by a hand to his chest. “Stay down Guide.”

This was getting old fast.

Blair struggled and Jim’s hand caught his throat, “Keep down Sandburg.” To Simon he added, ” I smelled the gun oil. He came in. He was armed, and he was after Commander Sandburg. I took him down.”

Typical Ellison straight forward and no frills. //Wait up he’d said Commander Sandburg so it looked like the cat was out of the bag.//

Simon took in the state of dress or rather undress, and snapped, “Ellison let your guide up, and I want you both dressed and in the Bull Pen, and gentlemen I want a full report on this. And COMMANDER” he made the title more of a question. “We are going to talk.”

But he could see that Jim Ellison’s attention had already focused once more on his guide. Simon didn’t turn his back, as he left. Jim might be his friend, but he knew better than to turn his back on a sentinel who was slipping in and out of the primal state. It was a mistake you never made twice.

0-0-0-0-0

The Doctor was waiting just outside of the room. “Captain.”

“Agent Ellison killed a would be attacker of his guide. I want the body taken to the morgue and it will be collected later. In the meantime no one goes in there until Ellison and Sandburg leave.

Jim had been listening in, with his hand resting on Blair he could easily push past the white noise generator. What they would accomplish once bonded would be glorious. He turned his attention back to the bed. His guide suddenly came off the bed in a hurry and bolted. With a snarl he grabbed for him and missed only to have the door of the bathroom all but hit him in the face. Then he heard Blair start to relieve himself.

Jim pulled his senses back offering his guide the basic privacy. It was only when with ordinary hearing that he heard the toilet flush that he cranked them up again.

When Blair came out, the younger man halted, he could see the sentinel was on edge, there was something that he needed to do, and it was being fuelled by primal instincts. Jim had killed to protect him; one of the sentinel’s most powerful instincts was to protect the guide. He saw the way that Jim was scenting him, and the way the sentinel frowned, Blair wrinkled his nose he could smell the stale sweat.

He reached a hand out, “Sentinel your guide is safe.”

With great care, Jim took his wrist and tugged him back into the bathroom, then pressed him down to sit on the edge of the bath. He turned the water on in the shower, and checked the temperature of the water. Only then did he raise Blair to his feet and with great reverence help him into the shower. For a moment Blair panicked, then he felt the reassurance that came off the older man, as he joined him under the spray.

Taking the packet of sentinel soap, Jim used the disposable wash cloth to work it into a lather and with a gentle tug, brought his guide close so that Blair’s hands rested against his chest. Using his longer reach, he began to wash Blair’s back and shoulders. Lifting his long hair out of the way to wash his neck, all the time his voice was a soothing balm to the younger man. Even when his touch moved over his bottom and thighs, Blair remained calm. All he could feel from his sentinel was the need to protect and care for him. This man would never hurt him.

This is what the GDP did not understand, and even through he was a GDP Guide Commander, he was only just beginning to figure it out. Was the Sentinel needed not only to protect the guide, but also to care for him, to pamper him? This is what the GDP saw as a weakness; in fact he was sure it was a primal response. If the other sentinels realized that there was nothing wrong with letting go, then the GDP was going to lose control; sentinels and guides would have no need for them. At no time even when Jim washed down his chest, stomach and hips did the touch become anything but reverent and respectful. Blair stood with his eyes shut savoring the feeling of being cared for. Ellison was certainly re-writing the record books.

0-0-0-0-0

The Organization.

As the earth and the moon moved in a set pattern so did Seth, he lived and worked at the Organization, no one could remember when he had last had a day off, he was a constant presence there. He picked up the phone and began to dial, his call being put through security buffers until it reached its destination.

General George Hammond, picked up the red phone, and listened intently, then went to the Gate Room, “Open the Iris.”

“Sir.”

“You heard me Captain Kern, open the Iris.”

 The general watched as his own  security force fanned out, this was a friendly visit, but in the world of the Stargate, you could never take any incoming traveler for granted.

A few minutes later the Stargate whooshed into life, the first men through wore the all black of the Shadow Warriors.

“Unit stand down,” Hammond ordered, the Shadow Warriors fanned out, and then another person came through the gate, Seth, his black suite the trademark of the Organization.

Hammond made his way down, to greet his guest. “Welcome to Stargate Command, Seth.”

“I am honored General Hammond,” Seth head dipped in welcome.

Suddenly, the Security Units  weapons snapped up, the Shadow Warriors, weapons creating a Mexican standoff.

Hammond ordered, “Captain Kern explain yourself.”

Kern  had moved in front of his CO, to protect him. “Sir this man’s a Goa’uld. My guide can feel the larva”.

The biggest secret of the Organization was out.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

The Bull Pen

Blair took the elevator to the Bull Pen, his hair still damp from the shower, and to his embarrassment Jim Ellison was still hovering. In the elevator he had seen the other Agents wait for another car rather than travel with them. Jim had him in the corner where he could be protected and was growling at anyone who got close to him.

Once the elevator stopped on their floor, Jim used the manual control key to stall it. His hands had moved over Blair touching and holding him close as he scented at him again. Since the attack at the hospital Jim had been all over him, Blair knew it was a reaction to the threats, but he had to take control of it now..]

Pushing Jim back, he caught the Sentinel’s face in his hands, and tugged it down so that he was looking straight into his eyes. “You listen to me Sentinel, you behave yourself and when we get back to the loft you can map me. We got a deal big guy.”

The sentinel nodded, and switched the elevator back on, so the doors opened.

Blair colored as he saw the amusement of the people waiting to use the elevator, keeping his head down he just kept going.

Simon yelled for them and Blair hurried to comply.

Taking a sip of his coffee, Simon Banks made them wait. He could see that Jim was on edge. Someone had attempted to take out his guide, and he was in blessed protector mode, which was all the more impressive because the guide was not bonded to him. His keen eyes took in the bite mark on Sandburg’s throat just visible above his collar. So he mused a little claiming had been going on.

“First things first Ellison, are you bonded.”

“No Sir.”

Simon nodded good Ellison was still playing by the rules. Then, keeping his tone level but with enough bite to tell a BP sentinel he meant business. “Jim, you can go now.”

Puzzled Jim shrugged, he had been sure that Simon had wanted to discuss something with them, but to be dismissed like this did not make sense.   “Come on Sandburg”. Jim stepped back to allow his guide to leave first. Only to have Simon say.

“No Jim you can go, Commander Sandburg, and I have some thing to discuss.” When the sentinel made no effort to move, he added “Ellison what part of you can go don’t you understand.”

Jim’s attention switched from Simon to his guide, as he felt a cool hand rest against his shoulder.  “Come off it Jim. Captain Banks isn’t going to hurt me, he just wants to talk. Do that and you can map me afterwards remember.”

It was almost a painful wrench for the sentinel to leave his guide, but with the slightest of nods, Jim eventually left the room. Simon activated the white noise generator, and its shield settled round the room. He saw the way that Jim tapped his ears and then glared at him before returning to his desk to know what Jim had been listening in on them.

“Now Commander, would you mind telling me your story. I have little time for your kind as it is, and Jim’s getting attached to you. If he’s got to bond, I don’t want it to be with you.”

Blair was surprised at the surge of anger he felt at that declaration. How dare this man tell he who he could and could not bond with, didn’t he know who he was. With an almost physical shock, Blair pulled back from that line of thought, realizing that Banks was waiting for an answer. “That makes two of us Captain,” he made his voice sound off hand.

Blair tried not to flinch when he saw the angry flash in the Captain’s eyes. “And what’s wrong with James Ellison, Commander?”

“Nothing Sir, nothing at all, he’s got all the virtues of a good sentinel.”

“Cut the crap Sandburg, I don’t want the party line, Jim Ellison, is anal retentive, bullheaded, and he’s a loner, but he’s my friend and damn good at his job.” Simon paused and looked at the smaller younger man. “So Commander what’s wrong with you.”

“Me.” Blair shrugged “nothing.”

“Nothing. A mixer gone bad, does that ring a bell somewhere.” The Captain didn’t take any pleasure in the look of fear that flitted across Blair’s face.

“Then he told you about me”

“We have sources. Once you start digging its amazing what you can find out, Commander. The GDP might have buried your files for this mission, but then we’re not anyone. So why do the GDP want you here? You can’t bond, so it must be the...” Simon’s grin was almost predatory. “It’s the artifact, you want, but why the GDP doesn’t have a gate.”

“Sorry Captain I have no idea of what you’re talking about.”

“Of course if the GDP have the artifact then you have a bargaining chip. We would have to give in to your demands in return for having it. Oh I am on to you now Commander, and a word of warning; if anything happens to Jim, on this mission, then Commander there is no stone that you can hide under. We do understand each other don’t we”?

“What makes you think I won’t tell them.”

“Because Sandburg, we are paying you, and you have your own agenda, Dr. Sandburg. My guess is that you’re going to cut and run, and you need the money.”

Blair didn’t need to answer him.

“I see I’m right, so you do what you have to do to keep Jim on line for his mission, but you don’t hurt him. I want him to bond after this to a guide that I have sponsored. Dr. Halliwell is vetting them as we speak. Then Doctor, I hope that I never have to see you again, because believe me once Jim is safely bonded, you are history.”

Simon switched the white noise generator off, and then added, “You can go now Commander.”

Once out of the office Blair found himself blocked by the sentinel. “Mind telling me what that was all about Sandburg.”

“I just had to explain about the mixer, that I can’t bond, that’s all.” He glanced at his watch, “look we have Daniel and O’Neill meeting us at the loft in an hours time, hadn’t we better be going now.”

“Sure.” He moved enough to let the younger man past, but his face became thoughtful.

On the way to the loft, Blair knew that Jim was checking him out, and he turned to look out of the window, he couldn’t handle this now. He fingered the blister pack of pills in his pocket, and the fear began to seep back. Last night something had happened to him, he had wanted to bond. The time before that it been as if he had taken a backseat to someone else, and that someone had wanted to bond. He could remember the pain in his head, the need to bond. Each time he could feel himself teetering on the edge of the bond, next time he might fall, and that would be it. Bonded. He could not allow that to happen, he had to keep a distance from Jim Ellison. His office. He would sleep at his office, anything to avoid being in close contact with Ellison. His mind made up, he turned back and caught the look on the sentinel’s face, and his heart came up into his throat, it was as if he had heard every word he had thought.

Blair shook his head, //it was impossible no sentinel could do that.//

When the truck pulled up outside of the loft. Blair unbuckled his safety belt, and was reaching for the door latch when Jim’s hand caught his wrist.

“Sleep anywhere but at the loft and I will come and get you Sandburg, and believe me if I do, you’re never live it down, because it will be straight out of  Officer and a Gentleman.”

For a moment Blair stared at the now retreating back of the sentinel, and his mind was whirling ‘Officer and a Gentleman’, the film was a classic, sure but, then his mouth dropped open, the last scene of the film, he could remember that all too clearly.

“He wouldn’t, would he”? Blair didn’t realize he had said the words aloud until Jim Ellison turned back to the truck and just grinned at him, and then started back to the entrance.

Blair jumped out slamming the door behind him, as he hurried to catch up. “Tell me you wouldn’t Ellison, not that.”

Jim refused to answer and just pressed the elevator call button.

Blair swallowed hard, “oh my god, territorial imperative at is most primal Look man I am not yours okay, live with it.”

All Ellison did was stand staring into space watching the lights on the display. For a second the young guide thought he had zoned and was just reaching for him, when he heard him humming just under his breath. The theme song of ‘Officer and a Gentleman’.

“Coming Sandburg.”

Blair had to hurry to catch up with him.

Once inside the loft, Blair found himself caught and pushed up against the wall, and his sentinel was right in his face, a hand pressed against his chest as the Sentinel started mapping him.

Blair brought his foot down hard on the bigger man’s instep, making him jerk back, and with all his strength he pushed against him.

“You don’t paw at me, understand. I said you could map me, but you just don’t pounce, okay.” Keeping eye contact, Blair shrugged out of his jacket, and let it fall to the floor, then toed off his sneakers. Reaching down, he pulled the multi-layered shirts off, and let them fall.

Then and only then did he step into his sentinel’s space. It scared him to think of this man as his sentinel, but more and more that phrase was coming to his mind, no matter how ruthlessly he pushed it back.

“Good Sentinel,” Blair said softly, when Jim made no attempt to grab at him. Keeping eye contact, he reached hand down and caught one of Jim’s and brought it up and guided it to his waist. The other hand he pressed over his heart.

“Open your senses, feel the heat of my body, then the pounding of my heart, my very life force, open your hearing more and you can hear the air in my lungs, I am well, you have protected me.” Blair moved the hand so it lay against his face, guiding it over his face,

He felt the hand on his waist tightening.

“No Sentinel, you don’t take, what I can give freely.” He smiled as he heard Jim purring it was deep vibrating sound, and the blue eyes seemed to deepen, and he saw a heat in them, a need.

He moved the hand down to his waist and then slide his own arms round the sentinel’s neck, and moved close, the hands now holding him in a hug, as he lowered his head to the Jim’s chest, his voice was now soft, as he felt the senses wrapping round him, and felt mellow soothing presence of the bond. This time neither made any attempt to instigate it. Just to revel in the connection of the surface bond.

How long they stood like that Blair had no idea. However with a deep sigh, Jim finally eased him back, but even then seemed reluctant to part with him. Leaning forward he rubbed his face against Blair’s just like a giant cat, then let the smaller man go.

Gruffly he said, “get dressed, I can hear O’Neill, coming up.”

Blair hid his smile and picked up his clothes.

0-0-0-0-0

SGC

Seth looked almost bemused, “I am surprised your friends the Tok’ra have not mentioned that to you before, but then again it’s been a while since we last met.” Seth dipped his head slightly, “allow me to introduce myself, General Hammond. Seth, former System Lord of the Northern Section. Now enemy to the Goa’uld for the last six hundred years. You have questions General and I am willing to answer them.”

“Lower your weapons,” Hammond ordered then motioned through the blast door, “this way Seth, I think we have much to discuss.”

Settling in the chair, Seth looked round at the photographs and fittings of the office, just what he expected to see based on what he knew of the man. It was functional, with only a few personal touches, such as a family picture on the shelf behind the desk. It gave him an insight into the man.

“My first host, General was an Unas, and I like the other lords believed ourselves to be gods. I came to earth as one of the first one, the Stargate system was not our making, but we rode it to conquest. It was while on earth that I met Maat, it was through her love that I realized what needed to be done, it is not for nothing that she was regarded as the goddess of justice. It was with our joint forces that we were able to support the slaves revolt. Maat joined the Tok’ra while I stayed on earth. I only made contact with Maat after the discovery of the hidden tomb at the Valley of the Kings, and I knew what it held. It was my ship, and I used it to return to the stars and to Maat. It was decided to quote you humans so well that to put all your eggs in one basket was to risk this very planet’s safety. So while the Tok’ra watched your Stargate project, I created the Organization forming the alliances you would need. So you see General we have been working towards the mutual goal the destruction of the Goa’uld or rather those that would not change “ He smiled softly, “you have questions, please ask them.” Seth paused “then I will tell you the story of the Chopec System Lords that even Ra would not attack. The Chopec are as old as the Asgard, and keep true to the ancient rules.”

The Loft

Jack and Jim had agreed to talk, once they had checked in with their respective bosses. The loft was the only place that Jim would consider meeting in. It rankled him to have another sentinel in his territory, but the thought of Blair being in Jack’s all be it temporary territory would have been unthinkable.

It soon became clear that neither sentinel thought that the breakfast the hospital had given them was good enough for their guides, so Blair found himself seated at the table with a large plate of scrambled eggs, a pile of toast, and fresh fruit juice in front of him. He gave a soft sigh and saw a sympathetic look on Daniel’s face, as the archaeologist found himself facing an equally large plate of food.

Their respective sentinels flanked them, and Blair could feel Jim’s hand constantly flexing on the back of his neck to encourage him to eat, and it was  obvious that neither of  the guides  were going to get away without being seriously stuffed. Feed the guide was in full force.

“Your guide makes good coffee.” Jack put in levelly, as he took a sip of his drink.

That soothed the Alpha Male down. Nothing Jack mused could do that quicker than a compliment about his guide.

“Just to make sure that we’re singing from the same hymn book. Daniel is my guide, but he’s a free agent, so he speaks when he wants to, and how he wants El.”

“Sure flyboy, and the same with Blair.”

The ground rules, Blair mused, had now been set.

“Eat,” it was not a request it was a command. Blair rolled his eyes at Daniel, then took another bite of his toast, and washed it down with a gulp of orange juice.

When the discussion started it did not take a guide to see the two sentinels starting to posture, it was the nature of the beast.

Blair put in quickly, “Look we’re on the same side, right,” then added. “Okay not quite the same side, but those guys that went after Daniel, I got the feeling that it was more than a mugging. It was personal and it has got to be connected with the one that tried to shoot me.”

“A feeling.” Jack queried. He glanced at Daniel and saw the way his young archaeologist looked down at the eggs, moving them around on his plate with the fork, to avoid the look Jack was giving him.

“Don’t play with your food, Daniel.” Jack gave his hair a ruffle, needing the contact with his guide. But Daniel knew that tone and knew that Jack wanted an answer.

“Blair’s a max 10 and then some, Jack, he could surface read you, if he wanted. It was only because of Blair that I managed to keep control, and avoided coming on line while I was at Ranier.” He poked at the eggs, “we empath bonded, you know buddy bonded, it worked.”

Blair waited for the axe to drop, buddy bonding was considered nothing short of incest to sentinels.

He  felt the fingers tighten on the back of his neck. The Dark Sentinel would not like the idea of his guide buddy bonding, but then his touch changed to a softer caress, as Jim said.

“I can understand that you wanted to help your friend Chief, but.”

“It was before okay, way before.” Blair did not say anymore, he knew that Daniel had no idea that he was GDP, and somehow it seem almost like a betrayal of his ideals, of the person he had been, and was going to be again.

Looking at Daniel, Blair decided it was up to him to explain. “I am a projecting empath, don’t worry I don’t peek. But I felt them, it was not as if they were trying to hide anything.”

Jack’s eyes switched to look at Daniel and saw his head go down. “This goes no further. Daniel was a prisoner of the NID for a while, he was their First Contact expert.” Jack gently stroked the blond archaeologist shoulder and arm, keeping him calm. “He was degraded and humiliated by the NID agents but he  fought back, and managed to escape, he has nothing to be ashamed of”. Through touch Jack gave his reassurance, only then did the younger man look up and meet the eyes of the other men round the table.

Jack continued his voice level, “I would guess that this is connected with a certain bauble that we are both interested in. I suggest we check in and then see if we can sing from the same song sheet.”

Jim nodded to the phone, “The line is secure, and I run a level 10 sweep continuously.”

Even Jack kept his conversation short and sweet, he handed the phone to Jim, “I think they want to talk to you.”

The Organizations involvement with the Stargate was something new, and glancing at his guide Jack knew that Daniel was already way ahead of him. Which planets had the Organization visited, what had they found, and more importantly what had they done. Now it looked like they were going to find out first hand.

The trip to the Organizations head quarters has been fast, but with Ellison driving not a trip that Jack was keen to repeat again too soon, especially with Daniel in the vehicle with him.

 It took them ten minutes to get to their gate room which was at least 15 stories down into the bedrock of the city of Cascade. As they approached the gate room they’d had to pass through increasingly higher levels of security.

Daniel leaned into Jack; “this is going to be interesting, they can’t dial directly to our gate, because you can’t dial your own number, so they must have a staging gate.”

“Nearly right Doctor Jackson,” Jim answered, as they waited for the gate to be dialed up. “As we go out we slingshot through another gate, then our gate shuts down, and your gate is opened. Asgard technology at its best.”

“So you’ve met the little guys as well.”

“Sure, who hasn’t”? Ellison all but smirked.

Whatever Jack was about to say was forgotten as the gate came to life.

Daniel placed his hand on his sentinel’s shoulder, “Okay Jack, bring the dials down, listen to my voice, 6.5.4. 3. Hold on 3.” He paused, “er Blair you best get Agent Ellison settled before you gate. Oh,” his eyes opened wider, “you haven’t gated with him before. No problem. Blair, put your hand on his shoulder, and connect, have him bring his dials down so that they are at ordinary levels, or a little lower if possible, and have him hold them there until after he’s through the gate. Otherwise he could cascade.”

“Yeah, thanks.” Blair slid round Jim, and placed his hand on his chest, the other resting on his shoulder, knowing that he needed the additional connection. “Right big guy, we can do this.”

Previously Jim, relied on the equipment to help him, but if he was to keep the pretence that they were bonded he would have to follow Blair now. It was only temporary. Soon Blair would be his, and the lies would be given truth.

Only when they were ready did sentinels and guides enter the wormhole. Blair had paused on the lip of the wormhole, his hand tentatively touching the swirling blue light. “Its okay Chief, it can’t hurt you, hang onto me, and watch the first steps it’s a doozy.”

0-0-0-0-0-0

As soon as they appeared at the SGC, they were escorted though to the Conference Room. Captain Kern began filling Jack in on the developments, including the fact the Seth was a Goa’uld.

When they took their seats round the table in the Briefing Room, Jack made sure that Daniel was seated away from Seth, not wanting to trust his guide near a Goa’uld.  But all the same he  could feel the excitement  starting to build in Daniel,  and could almost hear the wheels spinning in his head, under the table Jack laid a warning  hand on Daniel’s leg, to steady him. Now was not the time for his quirky guide to come out of the left field with something. Danny had ethics that sometimes got in the way. He had suffered for it once, and Jack had no plans to let it happen again.

The emotions in the room has started to build as the negotiations had become more intense, and Blair could feel them battering his barriers, at least with Daniel being fully bonded, his sentinel could shield him, he hand noticed the way Daniel’s hand was resting on the table the fingers laying across Jack’s wrist. Jim could only give a surface protection, and at the moment even that was being denied him, and already he could feel a sick migraine coming, he tightened his grip on the side of the chair. Throwing up over the floor in the boss’s office might not be the best career move. . He had to make sure that Jim was on that dig, because if he wasn’t then he was not going to get paid, and he needed the money to disappear.

Blair tried to concentrate on the discussion. The merit of which sentinel should be on the dig and which should be walking the perimeter was being argued. Blair needed Jim to be there even though there was a risk. Jack would soon tumble the fact he was unbonded so Blair cut in quickly. “With Agent Ellison being an Alpha Sentinel he would be able to shield Daniel, and since he’s bonded,” //okay keep the fiction going// ”he wouldn’t have any need to try and connect with him. The idea of one sentinel protecting another’s guide is documented. ”

He could see the Jack O’Neill was about to say something about that, but General Hammond spoke first. “Doctor Sandburg, surely the territorial imperative of Agent Ellison would preclude him taking another into his territory even another guide.”

“No sir, it has been documented that a sentinel of the same clan or pride will take an orphaned guide in, and support them until another sentinel had been found to bond under his sponsorship. Guides have always been in shorter supply than sentinels, and it would be crazy to lose a resource. Now of course we have dampeners but in the past this was the only way to keep a guide from overloading.” Blair took a breath, and looked round the sea of faces, he could see Jim nodding. Not knowing the sentinel had already spoken to Jack on the same matter. He was surprised to see the man did not seem phased by it. For most modern sentinels it was unthinkable. But then most of them were not Dark Sentinels. Why did he have the feeling that he had entered the Outer Limits with Agent Ellison.

Nausea and light headedness made him close his eyes, the next thing he knew a bottle of water was being pushed into his hands, and Jim was hovering over him, when Dr. Frasier started forward, Blair jumped as he heard the growl, it was inhuman. He caught the sentinel’s wrist, and was rewarded with a hand rubbing his back.

Seth ignored the by play apart from saying, “I would suggest that you take a seat Doctor, it appears that Dr. Sandburg is being looked after.”

Sandburg forgotten Hammond continued the briefing “Then Colonel O’Neill and SG1 will patrol the excavation site, we can make sure that no hostiles try to take the artifact once it’s located. We would be very naive if we thought that the NID are the only other people interested in the artifact. The Tok’ra have confirmed that there is a Goa’uld cell on earth. Ellison and O’Neill can remain in contact without the need of a radio so when the time comes we don’t have to rely on technology to call SG1 in.

Jack could feel the emotions of his guide, and Daniel was getting more and more uptight. Given the way he had been hurt it was only natural that he was frightened of Agent Ellison. El had no soft sides to his personality, he was hard and unyielding.

Jack on his feet, “General Hammond, Sir, this is not a good idea. Daniel.”

“Colonel, I know that you do not like to be separated from Doctor Jackson, but in this case it’s the way it’s going to be. In the meantime Doctor Jackson will speak with Dr. Sandburg about the protection ritual. Our intelligence has just informed us that there has been a serious accident at the excavation site, three diggers have been airlifted out, and they are going to rotate the teams earlier than planned. You should hear within the next 48 hours. So get yourselves sorted out gentlemen.”

The meeting finished and as they walked down the corridor, Blair kept pace with Daniel, allowing the two sentinels to walk ahead of them.

Blair easily picked up Daniel’s concern, and the way he was staring at the sentinel’s back. “Don’t worry Daniel he won’t hurt you. Jim’s not the kind to do that.”

“I don’t know Burg,” the nickname from University rolled easily off his tongue. “I just get a feeling when I am around him, it’s like,” he paused, and leaned closer, “it feels like mainlining electricity.”

“He’s very strong, Danny, he’s a Dark Sentinel.” Blair lowered his voice, “and he’s an adaptor.” He saw the way Daniel’s eyes widened.

“They exist? I thought they were myths. Oh shit.” Daniel stopped in his tracks, and caught Blair’s arm and pulled him to one side. “You’re bonded to a dark sentinel adaptor. Burg, are you crazy? You know what they’re like, they need, hell they demand total obedience. He won’t care that you’re half Varian, he’ll want you on your knees at his feet. The last Dark they diagnosed was a card-carrying sociopath remember. And if he’s an adaptor, they don’t even have a record on the last one of those, but...”

“But what Guide Jackson.” Daniel had his back to the speaker, and closed his eyes, as he recognized the voice, but more importantly the vibrations that were beating against his barriers, Agent Ellison.

The sentinel was in a red rage that this guide should dare to think  that he would hurt his Blair. Jim savored the thought, his Blair, his and only his.

He reached past Daniel and snagged Blair by the back of the neck, and pulled him close, “Keep your views to yourself Jackson, what I do with my guide doesn’t concern a Branded understand me.”

“El back off.” O’Neill was between Ellison and his guide. “Daniel isn’t a Branded, so.”

“He bears your brand” the flush to the blond guide’s face showed the he was on the money. “And that makes him your property, you can beat him or” he halted for effect, “you can screw him. The AFGP don’t care as long as it’s not in public and it doesn’t scare the horses.”

The sneer was pure evil. Jim bumped Jack’s arm as Blair was frog marched away, daring the beta sentinel to challenge him.

Jack was about to lunge for him, when Daniel caught his arm, and hung on. Seeing the alarm in his guide’s face, Jack brought Daniel close to him . There was real fear in the blue eyes, as he watched the black dressed sentinel leave. “Jack I don’t have to be with him on the dig do I, I can be with the team.” He was pleading; very real fear soured his scent.

“Orders are orders Daniel.”

“I don’t care .”

“Guide Jackson,” Jack hardened his voice, “don’t push me on this. Remember what happened after PR8990.” He was not proud when he felt the younger man shudder. His expression softened and he gave the tense shoulder a squeeze, “I’ll be there Danny, he won’t hurt you.”

“Jack we need to talk. There is something you have to know about Agent Ellison.”

0-0-0-0-0-0

An office door was pulled open, and Blair was thrown inside.

This Blair mused was getting old very fast, this time would be different.

Blair swung, his fist making contact with Jim’s jaw; it was totally unexpected and staggered the Sentinel backward. “You listen to me, I am not a chew toy for a testosterone challenged Sentinel throwback, and if you do that one more time, I am going to neuter you, get my drift. Now back off man, or next time I’ll knock you on your butt.”

The sentinel rubbed his jaw, “you really think you can do it, Guide.”

“Yeah so don’t push me, now back off. .” Blair was breathing heavily, “You don’t called Daniel Branded understand me,” the anger was very real. “He’s not a property he’s a man in his own right, and I am not having you disrespect him. Sentinels, a genetic advantage, and you think your god almighty, you’re not, you put your pants on one leg at a time, and you bleed the same color blood as us. If anything you’re inferior. A child could zone you, without us you’re nothing.”

Jim snarled back “in this world, a Sentinel outranks a Guide every time remember that GUIDE SANDBURG.”

“Not this guide, Sentinel. So listen up, we have to go through with this mission, but you are not my sentinel. All you are is a weakness to me, a genetic weakness, that I can control with drugs.” Blair spat the words.

He was surprised to hear the sentinel laughing, “With your pills? You might as well take candy. They’re fake, if anything they bring you into heat. Don’t you get it Sandburg, you’re coming on line, and when that happens you won’t have a choice. You’re going to be mine.”

“Never Ellison, not Brackett’s, not yours,”

Jim moved forward closing the distance between them. His blue eyes smoldering as they locked on his guide. The reference to the other sentinel had gone straight to the primal side of his brain.

Blair launched himself forward both hands hitting Jim at chest level pushing the bigger man away, as Blair jumped back giving himself more room again. Waiting for the attack that was going to come, no sentinel especially an unbonded and untrained sentinel would put up with his conduct, only a GDP Sentinel would obey his training.

The sentinel raised a hand and placed it over where Blair’s hand had rested, “I can feel your warmth, and smell your scent, Sandburg.” Jim brought his hand to his nose and sniffed it. “You’re in heat, any sentinel can smell you, all you need is a notice saying take me. Each time I touch you, I can smell it thickening. You want this, Sandburg, and you want to bond. At the hospital you...”

“Shut up.” Blair was almost shaking. “You know nothing at all about guides, I’m never going to give you want you want, you hear me. I would rather die than bond, with an over-sensed Neanderthal.”

“Bond or die,” Jim’s voice was almost pleasant; “an interesting concept, and you, Sandburg, are not going to die.”

The door edged open, and Major James White, eased in, careful not to appear threatening to the sentinel. The Major had been leaving a training session with an AFGP guide, when he had seen the sentinel push what had to be his guide into the room. He didn’t know who they were but he could recognize what they were. They needed help and that was why he was here to help sentinels. Keeping his voice level, as he had been taught he said. “Sentinel, can I help you, I am a Guide Supervisor and Trainer.”

Blair tuned on him, “Listen Fly boy fuck off, I am GDP, and this sentinel is under my command, he ass belongs to the me.”

Major White’s face was a picture, his mouth dropping open. He had never expected a guide to say that to him. His hand dropped to the stun gun, that he carried, the guide looked wild out of control.

“You lift that up and I’ll stick it where the sun doesn’t shine.” Blair snapped at him.

“Get out,” Jim growled at him, his eyes never leaving Blair’s face.

It was clear that White was being dismissed.

White couldn’t argue with that, he edged out, closing the door behind him. The guide deserved everything he got but he still headed to the General’s office. He needed to find out why he had not been informed about the strange pairing’s arrival on the base. Also who the hell let the GDP in?

Almost amused the sentinel came closer to his firebrand of a guide.

“Don’t even think about it.” Blair took a steadying breath. “Here are the rules, and you better believe me, you’re going to follow them until this mission is over. I am a GDP Commander, you can’t order me around understand”

Jim edged close again, “Well Commander,” The sentinel made the title almost a mockery, “The bond is here I can feel it, smell it on you, but so far the fates have been against us, but we can finish it now, and you’d be mine and only mine.”

“Never.”

“You didn’t sound like that in the hospital, your mind and body said yes. Your scent called to me.”

“I am crippled, Ellison, remember.”

“No, just reluctant. You’re like a someone that’s been thrown from a horse. You’re frightened to get back on again.”

Blair took a step back, “you’re lying.”

“Your own body betrays you, right now.” Jim tilted his head back and openly scented the younger man, the smile was cold and cruel, “and I can smell you Sandburg, You want to bond, its clawing at you, like quicksilver in your veins.”

With a shake of his head to clear the seductive call of the sentinel. Blair turned and grasped at the door handle. But a big hand reached past him slamming it shut before it could open, and he felt himself pinned to the door by Jim’s weight from behind. The words were whispered harshly in his ear. “You’re mine Sandburg, claimed and marked. Anyone else touches you and they’re in a pine box.” For a heartbeat he held the younger man like that, making him sure that he felt it, and knew what it meant, then he let him go. “No one interferes with our bond, and certainly not your branded friend.”

Blair was shaken by the emotion. He was in deeper than he had ever imagined.

When they got the call to the mission briefing it was almost a relief.

But it also opened up a new problem, for Jim to accept Daniel under his protection he had to vow to obey him, the ritual was ancient, but rarely used in modern time.

Jack O’Neil stood back with Daniel, and waited for the ritual to start.

Blair, moved to the center of the room, between Jim and the soon to be claimed guide, and put his hand out, “Daniel Jackson, join with me become one with me.”

The Colonel let go of Daniel reluctantly. He knew it had to be done but every fiber of his being was fighting against letting his guide go. His eyes traveled past the two guides to Jim Ellison, the man was pacing up and down, he looked like nothing more than a predator, his eyes had gone from blue to red, and his fingers were now incased in long claws. The adaptor had changed fully, there was a low rumbling growl coming from him, that was no longer fully human.

Blair centered himself, he didn’t have to turn to see the change to know that it had happened, Jim was in his full Dark Sentinel adaptor persona, and in that state Daniel had to ask for his protection.

Pulling Daniel close to him, and keeping his voice level he ordered, “Don’t look at Jim, Danny, keep your eyes on me. Now Jim’s not himself at the moment, he’s kinda primal. He’s not going to hurt us, but he’s gong to need to touch you, so don’t panic, just remain calm. Okay.”

Daniel nodded, and lowered his head to rest on Blair’s shoulder as his slightly smaller friend did the same. Their arms round each other, Blair’s mind met with Daniel’s and they mixed, the smaller man, giving comfort to the blond archaeologist, soothing his fears.

Only when he was sure that Daniel was ready did Blair turn round, bringing Daniel with him, and with a firm touch brought him down on his knees.

“Sentinel, we are here to ask for your protection, we honor the sentinel in all its forms, you have the strength and the power to keep us safe from all those who would hurt us.” Blair paused, “Sentinel we offer our selves to you now.” Bending forward Blair adopted the extreme position of the GDP, one that as a GDP Guide Commander he would never have been asked to perform, but which he knew he had to now. The Dark Sentinel Adaptor would accept nothing less. He reached back and pulled Daniel with him. He could feel the fear battering against him. Wrapping his powers round Daniel he tried to dampen the fear.

He stayed down as he felt Jim walking round them slowly.

Daniel was suddenly plucked from his grip and pulled to his feet.

Jack started forward, only to be caught and held back by General Hammond.

Clawed hands lifted Daniel up so that he was on his toes looking into the eyes of the Adaptor. Bending forward he, sniffed at his throat, pulling in deep lungfuls of his scent. Daniel’s scent was mixed with that of Jack O’Neill, Jim placed Daniel back down onto his feet. Then with his hand he wiped the back of his neck, and smeared his scent over Daniel’s face and neck, marking him as being his possession. Then forced Daniel to kneel by his side.

“Sandburg,”

Blair got slowly to his feet and walked crossed the small distance to his sentinel, and then reached up, placing his hands flat against the sentinel chest and then leaned in to him, his head fitting under Jim’s chin. Without realizing it, Blair had tensed and only relaxed when the adaptor’s arms circled him, and the sentinel lightly nuzzled his throat. As he connected with the man that he considered his guide.

Then and only then did he turn Blair round to stand by his side, one arm round his waist his other hand resting on Daniel’s head. The sentinel’s head went back and he roared his ownership of the guides.

The mission was now a go.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Dr. Blair Sandburg sat in the helicopter as it started to lift off, leaving the carnage of the excavation behind them, seated next to him was Daniel Jackson, like Blair he looked as if he had been pulled through a hedge backwards. The medics had done a good job patching both archaeologists up. Blair’s eyes were fixed on the countryside. Areas of it were still burning, sending up large clouds of black smoke. The other helicopter contained the surviving students and facility, had already lifted off, they had been lucky to get out of there at all. It had turned nasty very quickly, between the Goa’uld and the NID Agents; it had become a killing ground. Shivering violently Blair did not feel the blanket thrown over his shoulders, his hand tightening on Daniel’s, as the two empaths joined faces to secure their barriers. Ellison was dead he had seen the mountain explode; no one could have survived that firestorm. He had felt the vibration running through their near bond, it had been abruptly severed. Ellison was dead, and it was his fault.

0-0-0-0-0.

Through the two-way mirror Simon Banks watched as Rafe interrogate Dr. Jackson. Colonel O’Neill, stood by him, a hand resting on his shoulder trying to anchor the younger man. Rafe tried to ignore O.Neill.

He pushed the cup of sweet tea across to him. “Doctor, could you tell us exactly what happened.”

O’Neill gave Daniel’s shoulder a squeeze and looked at the Shadow operative and then to the Air Force officer seated with him and answered instead. “The plan was that Agent Ellison would go in with my guide and Sandburg, and that I would keep the perimeters ready to come in when they found the artifact.

“Why would you agree to that Colonel, you’re a sentinel”?

“I am a beta, and you don’t argue with the alpha I have four enhanced senses.”

The Air Force officer put in levelly, his tone-putting Jack’s back up “Your records say three Colonel, why lie.”

“I didn’t, well not totally. For the record, I have Alpha level sense on touch, taste and sight, my hearing is beta level, not in the same league as Ellison,  but its good enough to track Daniel for a short distance.” He halted, “But I never got a chance to use it, an air to ground took us out before we got to the excavation site, of the five on my team, three were taken to the hospital, and Ellison was on his own.”

Daniel shuddered, “I was working with Burg, when I felt the chopper go down. I didn’t know what was happening just that my sentinel was injured. I nearly overloaded, if it hadn’t been for Burg, taking me into a bond, I would have been in serious trouble.”

The Air Force officer cut in “You buddy bonded with Sandburg, in front of his own sentinel,” his very tone made it clear that he thought it was a depraved act.

The blond archaeologist swallowed hard, “Ellison took part in the bond, he took the two of us into his territory and gave me his shielding, but.” Daniel trailed off slowly.

“But what Doctor.”

“There was something wrong with their bond, it was fractured, close but well fractured it was off kilter.” Daniel shrugged, not able to put it into words. It was nothing that a normal would understand, only a sentinel or guide would understand what he was trying to put into words. He could see that both the Agent and the Air Force officer was losing interest in what he through, all they wanted was the facts.

Jack tightened his hand on his guide’s shoulder, he did not like the look on the Air Force officer’s face, and the fact the man was AFGP made him a threat to Danny. He flexed his fingers to encourage Daniel to continue.

Daniel took his cue, “Before we left, I submitted myself to Ellison, and he placed me under his protection during the dig. But the mission was going hell in a hand basket before we got there. Something was wrong between Burg, and Ellison, and you did not have to be an empath to see it. The first three days of the dig were quiet, and we more less got our sea legs. Then the chopper went down,” Daniel reached back, and covered Jack’s hand with his briefly to reassure his own sentinel that he was now his again.

“Burg found a Rune, the stone dating back at least five thousand years that was the key. Dr. Bass wanted to notify the university that night but the radio wasn’t working. And things began to get worse. The nearer we got to the artifact the more primal Ellison was becoming, his senses were cascading, the dials seemed to be stuck, he wouldn’t control them at all, and he started to hunt Burg, and I mean hunt him.”

The excavation:

Blair was taking point on the dig the next morning with Daniel, and if the two of them were lucky they would get to lead the breakthrough. Last night the runes had indicated that heart of fathers, the name of the artifact was close. It was the nearest they could interpret the words, but both he and Jackson were confident it was the artifact.

The two academics began to check over the reports before going to sleep, then they noticed that the three sleeping bags had been zipped together. One look at the sentinel was all they needed to do to know that Jim had gone primal.

“My guides, my bed, my territory.” Jim grated the words out.

“Er Jim, Sentinel Ellison.” Daniel spluttered as he saw the adaptor’s long claws sliding out.

The dark blue eyes flashed at Daniel, and he had backed away. As Jim patted the side of the sleeping bags with his claws.

Blair moved forward “Look man you don’t need both of us, why doesn’t Daniel...”

“Mine, Sandburg, given to me by O’Neill, now both of you its 9.00 pm put the reports away, and into the sleeping bag.”

“Look after we eat.” Blair tried to shepherd Daniel out of the tent. Only to find they here now trapped.

“You heard me guides.” It was no longer a request it was now a commander.

It was then they heard the automatic fire.

Daniel ground to a halt, “Ellison said it was the tango’s,” he saw Jack nod and realized he’d gotten the term right, “he ordered Blair and I out of the tent. He slashed the side furthest away from the gun fire, and led us into the small water gully and we got away from the camp. Blair did not want to leave, but Ellison wouldn’t let him stay. I managed to get Blair some distance away then he heard another burst of machine gun fire, and tried to go back. I had to hold onto him. Ellison had told us to go for the artifact while he bought us some time and tried to help the facility and students. We found the crystal. Blair left it with me, and went back for his sentinel. Next time I saw him was in the helicopter he told me that Agent Ellison was dead.”

“Danny,” Jack had felt the intense emotions surge through their passive bond. “Danny talk to me.”

“Blair said that he had killed his sentinel, said it was the only way.” Then he added in a burst, “Blair wouldn’t do that, it’s not in his make-up. I think he felt guilty about whatever had happened.”

The Air Force Officer was on his feet, looming over Daniel. “Guide”.  He never got to finish what he was going to say, Jack pushed him away and formed a barrier between his guide and the other two men. 

Rafe took charge, the Air Force Officer might be the expert, but the guy was a moron, and was looking to get his ass kicked, O’Neill was already in Blessed Protector mode. 

“Sentinel Colonel, we will have further questions for your guide, but in the meantime, that will be all, thank you”.  Then Rafe bundled the other man out, his last view was of the Colonel  stood holding his seated guide against him, the younger mans arms wrapped round his waist, as the sentinel stroked his head and back.

Simon Banks stormed into the integration room 2, and glared at the man seated at the table, circling him slowly. His anger was barely kept under control; he had feared that something like this would happen.

“So Commander where is James Ellison?”

“Dead,” Blair’s voice was without any emotion, “he’s dead.”

Simon leaned right into the smaller man’s face, “What did you do to him you bastard? Dr. Jackson, told me you killed him. Why did you do that Sandburg? What did you do?”

“Nothing.”

“Sure, I heard you threaten him before you left.”

“I, I didn’t mean it” Blair shook his head “I couldn’t hurt him. Okay I could, but I wouldn’t have done that to him.”

Simon settled in the chair opposite “So Commander why don’t you tell me w hat happened.”

“I had to go back for him, but by then the forest was on fire, and it was a blood bath, Jim, found me, and made me get the students to safety. He said that he had to keep the NID from knowing that the artifact had been taken. He was going to blow that part of the mountain. I told him that he had to leave it, that it was not worth his life, we had the artifact. But he wouldn’t listen, said that they would hunt us down in the mountains, this way he could keep the Tribe safe.”

“So why did you tell Dr. Jackson you had killed him.”

“Because I wouldn’t bond with him, and I blamed myself. When I saw the explosion I knew he hadn’t gotten out. I should have made him leave.”

“Nice story Commander but you are under arrest for the murder of Agent Ellison.”

“No.” Blair stood up, only to be forced back down on the chair.

“We have three days, before we have to release or charge you Commander, and by then I will know the truth.”

“72 hours.”

Simons smile was cold, “108 hours Commander we work on a 36 hour day. Put him in isolation.”

Blair was pacing up and down in the cell, the grill opened and a plate of food was pushed through. He ignored it, he couldn’t eat. //Why the hell didn’t they believe him. Ellison died, doing his job.// The tiny voice in his head kept nagging him, //if you had bonded he would have listened to you instead, it’s your fault.//

Unexpectedly Blair saw the Black Panther come through the wall and back peddled until his back hit the wall, hard. The animal was the largest Panther he had ever seen. It came into the center of the room, and bent its head down, taking a sniff at the meal. Looking up it cocked its head at him.

“Sure kitty, go ahead knock yourself out.”

The panther’s teeth pulled back in disgust at the kitty crack, then began to eat the meat, its broad tongue licking up the gravy.

“If you’re an hallucination then you’re a really good one.” Blair edged forward slowly, reached down a hand and ran his fingers lightly over the powerful back.

The panther’s head snapped around, grabbing Blair’s wrist in his jaw, and led him to the bed. The panther tugged until he sat down, then jumped up, and stretched himself out, the weight of his head resting on Blair’s lap. His tongue licked the inside of Blair’s wrist where the teeth marks were imprinted. The creature hadn’t broken the skin and at the swipe of his tongue, the red marks faded.

Then he bumped his head against Blair’s hand to encourage the guide to pet him. He would keep this little one safe until his sentinel could claim him.

0-0-0-0-0

Simon looked his visitor up and down, “So Captain Brackett, you’re here to free Commander Sandburg,” he put a hand out for the paperwork, and leafed through it. “Very interesting Captain, so this is what a claim form looks like, I didn’t think you used them on your own kind.”

“Commander Sandburg had been under a lot of stress, with having to help a Dark Sentinel. Emotionally he has been on the edge for a long time. I tried to get him to leave the mission; I knew there would be problems with his stability. He is able to bond now.”

“I thought he was crippled.”

“The doctors have been monitoring his case for some time. They believe that his problem is psychosomatic in nature, and that now he can bond. He will be bonded to me tonight, and with the stability he will gain from it, he should be alright?”

“Sorry Captain, but until I am satisfied that Commander Sandburg had no hand in the disappearance of Agent Ellison, he will remain with us.”

“A guide can not kill.”

“I have witness reports that Blair Sandburg took out a Goa’uld with a knife and that Captain is as personal as it gets. Now unless you have something more than this piece of paper forget it. Commander Sandburg is remaining right where he is.”

0-0-0-0

Blair paced up and down, ten paces to the left turn, then to the right turn, his head suddenly snapped towards the door, as he heard the scratching sound across the metal and he shivered, he felt as if someone had walked across his grave. He closed the distance to the door, and put out a hand, and brushed I across the metal surface, the perfect conductor, and then staggered back, his eyes opening wide.

“Ellison” he said the name softly. “You’re dead,” he had seen the sentinel die.

The laugh was soft, then the power faded as the sentinel moved away. Blair sank down on the floor in despair.

He knew then with certainty that Ellison was stalking him, he had avoided the sentinel in the mountains but now he was in another type of jungle an urban jungle.

Blair stared into space, what the hell was he going to do.

Simon had checked the information and it all tied in. Sandburg might be carrying a lot of guilt over the death of James Ellison but he had done nothing to kill the man. All the evidence proved that he had tried to save him. It added up on paper and that was all that mattered. Now the next phase could start. The Commander would be cut loose tomorrow.

Next Day

Simon Bank looked up as Brian Rafe came into his office. “Have Commander Sandburg brought up to my office.”

“Yes Sir.”

Blair was waved to a chair, “I just need this final talk with you Commander,” Simon broke off, and “you look nervous Commander.”

“Agent Ellison is alive.”

“Why the change of heart.”

“He’s in the complex, I felt him. He was at my door. You have to understand, that Ellison is an adaptor Sentinel, they’re the oldest of the breed, and the most dangerous.”

“And what is an adaptor Sentinel,”

“They are very close to their spirit guides, they are able to,” Blair broke off. “He can sprout claws, look at the video from the hospital, and look at the man he killed. He took his throat out with his bare hands, he’s an adaptor.”

“Then why did not you mention that before, it seems that you withheld a lot of things commander.”

“I didn’t exactly have a choice, the mission had to go ahead, and if I started yelling adaptor, I wouldn’t have gotten on it. The GDP would have pulled us both in first.”

“And you would not get the money.” Simon’s tone was icy.

“Yeah, and I wouldn’t have gotten the money, and don’t look at me like that Captain, I am being screwed on all sides, by the GDP and by the Organization. The money is my only way out, so I am warning you, Ellison is alive and he is an adaptor. You need to catch him and get him bonded now. Because what you have out there isn’t human anymore, it’s using his memories and his skills but there is no human brain in charge, what is controlling him is the primal side of the sentinel. I am taking the money, and running.”

Simon leaned back, the money will be released to you in 10 days time.”

Blair was on his feet and loomed over the desk and brought his fist down. “I did my job you pay me, and I am blowing this berg and that is that.”

“Ten days Commander, and if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.” Simon waited for the man to leave, then picked up his phone. “Seth, this is Banks, Commander Sandburg, has confirmed what you thought. Ellison is an adaptor and he’s going to be after Sandburg. I am putting a Shadow Team on Sandburg round the clock.”

“Pull them back Captain.” Seth ordered, “this has got to run its course. I want Sandburg’s bank account frozen, and his car registration pulled. He stays in Cascade. And Simon looked at the video clip I am sending over.”

Simon logged into his computer and opened up the attachment, the video clip was short only a matter of seconds, before the camera died, but in that frozen frame shot, in the glass of one of the door, was James Ellison.

He had been in the facility only a matter of hours ago, and the video surveillance camera was situated near Sandburg’s cell. All Simon could do was hope that Seth knew what he was doing.

Blair had arrived at the loft and found that it was sealed and with it his belongings. The officer on duty had handed him an envelope and watched him walk away. The only place he had to go was his office at the University.

He had only just settled in when the phone rang and Blair scooped it up, “Blair Sandburg.” The phone went dead; he shrugged and put it down. //Wrong number.//

The knock on the door made him jolt upright. Burt the security guard put his head round the corner the man was a pain, “Evening Guide Sandburg. Look I am going to have to evict you. Your sentinel is going to be pissed if you’re not home on time, and you’ll be spending the evening kissing the carpet.

“Burt, Jim doesn’t do that, okay.” Blair stopped himself he had said it automatically.

“Sure,” Burt’s tone made it pretty obvious that he did not believe a word of it.

“Look I just have to finish off this report, then I promise I am off okay.”

“Just be out by midnight.” He made a chalk mark on the door and then kept on his way.

Blair knew that he would have to out of his office by Midnight then he could circle back and spend the night. If they thought that Jim was still around the GDP wouldn’t come calling.

The Stalker stood outside and looked up at the one-lighted window on the fourth floor, it was only a small slit, but enough to tell him that Blair Sandburg was still at work. He fingered the duck tape in his pocket, and then entered through the back door, and started on his way up.

When he got to the second floor he halted, it was in pitch black, he shrugged and kept moving up the stairs, he couldn’t see, but the hairs on the back of his neck went up, as he heard the low growl, like a rumble of an approaching train. The blow to the back of his head put him down, a knee went into his back, then his head was twisted, breaking his neck.

With a sigh, Blair threw his backpack over his shoulder, and opened the door, stopping dead in his tracks. Laid on the floor was a body. Bending over, Blair felt for a pulse. The man was dead, but near him were duct tape, a Stanley knife, and black hood.

Blair was digging his phone out of his pack, when he froze, he felt as if someone were watching him. Slamming the door closed, he threw the lock, and called Campus Security. He knew without a second thought who had done this, the sentinel was still courting him. Just like his spirit animal, the cat, he had taken out the threat, and laid it at his door to show him. Like a cat bringing its kill to its owner. Somewhere out there was his sentinel, and he was worse than any stalker.

He knew he couldn’t stay at the office, Ellison would be back. The loft was sealed, so he headed towards his car. He could blow this place, and come back for the reward money. He ground to a halt, his car had been clamped.

Blair shivered.

“Hello Blair, going somewhere.”

The younger man spun round to see Brackett stood there, a leash hanging from his belt. “Captain, what are you doing here”?

“Claiming something that is mine”

“And that would be” Blair put in levelly.

“You, Sandburg,” the smile was chilling,

“Forget it, Brackett, you and me, never.”

Brackett shook his head slowly, “pity it has to be this way, I hoped.” His hand snapped up, and the stun gun he had palmed flashed, Blair was thrown backward against the car, his body twitching in the unholy blue light, and then he collapsed unconscious to the ground.

Closing the distance behind them, Brackett checked Blair’s pulse and then began to leash him, “Always the hard way Sandburg, but you’re mine now”; he ran a hard hand over his soon to be claimed guide. The leash was one of the correctional wraps; Sandburg would be unable to get away from it. Bending he threw the smaller man over his shoulder and walked towards the van. As he was pulling away, the police cars began to arrive as Burt the Campus guard found the body.

The Panther growled as he took his place next to the unconscious guide, his lips pulled back showing his long canine teeth. His sentinel would come and claim his soul mate, this other would not have him.

Jim has seen the attack on his guide, but had been unable to get to him in time. Then he saw another car and recognized it as one belonging to the Organization, his eyesight tightened and even in the dark he saw Brian Rafe seated in it. Rafe was just starting the car when Jim appeared in front of him. He started to get out, but the sentinel was on him and a fist put him out cold. Dragging him to one side, Jim got into the car. A quick glance at the tracker confirmed what he guessed, they had placed a bug on Sandburg, probably hoping he would lead them to him, but this was all he needed. He would kill anyone who stood in his way and then he would reclaim his guide.

The van left the main road and went up a track towards the cabin. Now that the vacation season was over, the cabin would be empty and Brackett knew that he would have all the isolation he needed.

The cabin had a small kitchen and a stone fireplace dominated the main room, along with a double bed, which would become their bonding platform. By the time the GDP caught up with them, Sandburg would be his. Five days of isolation and he would be the submissive guide he wanted.

Blair opened his eyes slowly, the world tipped then straightened and he found himself looking into the furry face of the panther. The cat gave a purr, and a rough tongue swiped across his face. The panther snuffled at his throat, then it bit down. The pain was real and Blair cried out, as his body arched against the leash. It was as if an electric shock had run through his whole body. When he went limp, the Panther’s tongue licked at the small wound. He had been very careful, but the little one had needed to be taught. When the eyes opened, the Dark Guide was looking back at the Panther, and the smile was chilling.

The Panther gave a growl of approval.

Brackett, finished moving his supplies in, and went back to get his prize. Blair was unmoving. With a shrug he picked his guide up, carried him into the cabin and threw him onto the bed. The body bounced and laid still. He tipped his head to one side the heartbeat had increased Blair was awake.

Brackett climbed onto the bed, so that he was leaning over the bound guide, looming over him. The first thing he would see when he opened his eyes.

“Quite playing possum, Sandburg, that isn’t going to stop you bonding. I can smell you now, you want to bond. Or is that for Ellison, you think that throwback is going to take you now. He’s back at Cascade still counting his toes. He’s nothing. You and me, we can get to the top of the GDP, and no one is going to stop us. Sentinel Prime of Cascade, Sandburg, all you have to do is say yes.”

Blair opened his eyes, “Fuck off Brackett.”

“Blair, Blair, always the same. In the Library, you said no, but you wanted it. “ He put a hand out, and stroked down the side of the guide’s face, letting his thumb rub across his lips, making sure that his scent was all over Blair, and that Blair knew he was in command.

Without warning Blair bit him, hard. The unexpected pain was terrible, his senses were opened up, to map the guide. Brackett pulled back, and backhanded the younger man across the face, knocking his head sideways with the power of the blow. Blair’s teeth cut into the side of his mouth, and he spat blood.

Brackett grabbed the stun gun and dialed it down, “You know what this is Sandburg? What we use it for on rogue guides?” then pointing it down, he fired. The pain coursed through the Blair. He screamed, and his body tried to curl up because of the pain, only the leash kept him stretched, his breathing was harsh, and blood bubbled from his mouth.

“Play nice Sandburg, or the next one,” He let the stun gun, moved down over Blair’s groin, then pulled the trigger, back halfway. It made a crack but didn’t fire. Blair flinched.

Certain he had made his point, Brackett placed it by the side of the bed, and pulled a knife from his boot, “Remember this Sandburg.” He let the side of the knife stroke the guide’s face.

“Bynes knife.” Blair managed to breath through the pain.

Seeing the recognition in the man’s eyes, Brackett nodded, “what he did with rogue guides is going to be nothing compared with what I will do to you” the GDP Commander was going to get guide discipline 101 a la Bynes. A week of being on his knees, feeding only from Brackett’s hands and he would have control of the younger man, mind, body and soul.

Brackett began to slice through the clothing, they smelt of Ellison, only his scent would mark his guide. Blair stayed still, a good guide didn’t move. He heavily petted Blair’s head, his senses were beginning to focus on the guide.

Blair managed to catch his hand between his cuffed ones.

“Lee,” he tugged Brackett’s hand to his face, and rubbed against it. As he tried to arch up against the GDP Captain.

“So needful, Guide” he took a breath to try and steady his excitement. “Tell me what you want Guide.”

“Bond with me, take and claim me now.” Blair rubbed against him harder, making the sentinel senses begin to come on line.

The knife slashed through the leash leaving it trailing from Blair’s wrists and ankles, then he brought it down hard to imbed it into the wooden frame of the bed.

Blair reached up to pull Brackett towards him, and the man went willingly. It was then Blair’s hands lashed round and the claws sliced through the sentinel’s face, just missing his throat, as Brackett reeled back, Blair kicked him in the chest throwing him backward, the man landed hard on the floor.

Blood was running down his face, when Blair pounced on him again, the primal guide was out of the box, his claws slashing across the man’s chest and arm as Brackett managed to block a blow to this throat.

A fist smashed into Blair’s face and he went sideways, but rolled with the impact, and launched himself at Brackett again as the sentinel rolled onto all fours to try to grab for the stun gun. The Dark Guide brought his claws down, ripping the sentinel’s hands open, an elbow to the Dark Guide’s ribs made him cry out in pain, then his hands went round Brackett’s face and throat, and with a scream of triumph, he pulled back hard, his claws slicing through flesh to the bone. Brackett was dead as his body fell to the ground. Blair was breathing hard, as he made his feet; he swayed, looking down at the growing pool of blood. But when he looked up the Dark Guide knew his soul mate was closing on the cabin.

Turning his back on the cooling body, he went to the van and sliced open one of the backpacks. There were towels and other washing things, he collected them. His sentinel would not claim him if he stank of the dead sentinel. His claws folded back into his fingers.

The Dark Guide walked away from the cabin to the clean mountain river that he had seen curving round the property. Standing on the edge of the bank, he stripped off his slashed clothing, then removed the restraints and stepped naked into the water, wading in until he was able to settle down onto one of the larger stones.

He lathered up the soap, and began to wash, pausing only once, “You know big guy they call that being a peeping tom.”

His sentinel was there. Turning slowly he saw the sentinel perched on one of the rocks.

“If you want me you’re going to have to come and get me” the dark guide taunted.

The Dark Sentinel just tilted his head, then gave a growl, as the faint scent of Brackett wafted back to him, then Blair dipped under the water, and the last of the scent vanished. “But then cat’s don’t like water do they.” Deliberately he took his time. When they bonded the sentinel would follow his lead.

Oomph, the Dark Guide was hit in the face by the towel. The Dark Sentinel was getting restless, so he wiped his upper body down, and gave his hair a quick rub then made his way back towards the Sentinel. Once he was in shallow water he wrapped the towel round his waist, the sentinel’s head was tilted to one side, as he was inhaling the scent of the guide. He got to his feet as the Dark Guide came out of the water, blocking him but there was no fear in the Dark Guide. He just patted his sentinel’s chest as he would a large cat. As he walked past him.

Then ignoring the man sat on the river bank, he used the towel to finish off drying himself off. Reaching for his clothes, he tugged on his boxers, before turning back to the sentinel.

“I don’t usually dress with an audience.” He smiled, but the sentinel just sat there, a low rumbling noise coming from deep down in his chest.

The Dark Guide tugged out a hair tie and tried to pull his long curls back into a ponytail.

He never registered the sentinel moving, but the man was behind him, tugging it from his hands, and Dark Guide tilted his head forward allowing him, access to the back of his neck. Cold fingers brushed his nape and then he felt the sentinel nuzzle him, talking in his scent. Then his hair was pulled back and secured. As the sentinel wrapped his arms round him from behind, the Dark Guide allowed himself the luxury of leaning back into the warmth of his sentinel’s embrace.

The Dark Guide lowered his barriers, burning to a crisp any blocks that would try to stop him from bonding. His mind aggressively sought out that of the sentinel. He heard the soft moan from behind him, and the pressure increased round his body, as the sentinel tried to blend with his guide, as he recognized the touch of his guide’s mind brushing across his.

The Dark Guide, reached back, catching his sentinel’s head, and tugged it back down to his shoulder. A bite to his throat made him arch back and his mind blew through his sentinel’s mind like a whirlwind.

The sentinel’s head went back and he roared, his claws flexing out, round the body of his guide. His guide was moving in his arms, he wrapped on arm round his chest as with his other, he lightly scraped his claws across the Dark Guide’s stomach, it was done lightly leaving only the faintest of marks, he chuckled deep in his throat as the guide bucked against him. He dropped his hand down lower and repeated the scrape. The Dark Guide screamed, as their minds began to become one.

Simon was pulled to a halt by the GDP Doctor, who shook his head. So far they hadn’t gotten close enough to alert the bonding pair, but any closer and they would have their hands full with an aggressive Dark Pair.

Then Simon froze as Blair Sandburg looked straight at him, but the guide didn’t see him, he was in the throes of bonding, as he struggled only to be pinned by the dominate alpha male.

Using the glasses Simon was shocked by what he was seeing, blood was running down Sandburg’s throat, from the bites his Agent was giving the smaller man, the pale skin already marred by the claws. Then he did a double take as he saw Sandburg’s hands, the fingers seemed to morph, and he saw the long claws coming out of the skin, his hands leaving their own marks on his agent’s shoulders.

The pace of the bonding was increasing, and then suddenly the Dark Sentinel released his mate. Even as the Dark Guide wailed at his loss, he was spun around. He jumped, his legs going round his sentinel, even as his arms went round the sentinel’s neck. The sentinel fell forward taking his guide down with him, his hands and knees breaking the fall.

Then he was mashing his guide into the grass.

The Dark Guide was all the time moving, making his sentinel work at holding him tightly, the pressure in both men was increasing, building like the steam in a kettle. With a final surge of strength, the Dark Guide managed to flip his sentinel, pinning him down, his head going back to cry his own triumph as he then bent to nuzzled and claim his sentinel.

His clawed hands tearing at his sentinel’s shirt, already shredded by the Dark Guide at the shoulders, skin-to-skin, he needed to feel his sentinel.

The pressure became pain, and the Dark Guide screamed his lungs out as the pressure burst and his mind was finally sealed to that of his sentinel. At the same time as the sentinel’s roar echoed out, blending with his. The Dark Guide slumped forward, limp and unresponsive.

The stronger Dark Sentinel, rolled the younger man over, his hands protecting his head, he knew that he needed to find a safe nest for his guide, a place for him to come to his senses. His guide would now sleep for several hours. The Dark Sentinel’s head snapped from right to left as he looked for threats to his guide, and his eyes found Simon.

For a long moment there was nothing, then with a nod, the sentinel bent and picked his guide up, throwing the limp body over his shoulder he made his way to the cabin.

Placing his guide safely on the sofa, he stripped the bed, finding the spare blankets, he remade the bed. Using the discarded blankets to wrap them round Brackett, he lifted the man and put him in the van, then set about cleaning up the blood. And preparing food for his guide. Slowly the man returned, and knowledge replaced instinct. A bonding or just bonded guide needed food or his energy level would plummet. Blair would need food.

He made the soup, and took the energy bars from the backpack, then as his guide started to come round he placed the tray on the side of the bed, and climbed up next to him then pulled Blair into his arms.

When Blair’s eyes opened he began to struggle and then his body relaxed as he automatically registered his sentinel, and reached out for him. He yawned hugely then snuggled close, but Jim refused to let him go back to sleep, coaxing his guide to drink the soup, and eat the bars first.

Using their newly made connection, Jim monitored his guide, he could feel him in his mind, moving gently and slowly, a living force passive in sleep.

Only then did he allow himself to sleep his guide, his mate was warm and safe, claimed and scent marked. The glow of possession and pride warmed the sentinel.

When Blair woke it was to a feeling of peace and well being his body ached but in a good way, the claw marks were stinging but he did not mind, it told him all he needed to know his sentinel had claimed him.

Then he felt the guilt as Jim woke up, and the man knew what he had done.

“Blair you’re my guide I hurt you,” the newly bonded sentinel was nearly frantic, but Blair scrambled on top of him to prevent him trying to escape.

“Jim, James,” Blair used his full name for the first time, and got his attention the name coupled with his guide voice stopped the sentinel. “James is okay. You bear my mark just as I bear yours. We are one now and man that was one hell of a wild bonding. I wouldn’t have missed it for any world.”

He raised himself up so his hands rested on Jim’s shoulders, he let his claws come out, and Jim gave a grunt of pain. “See man, you’re not the only one with claws,” Blair waited a beat then added, “yours sentinel, claim your guide if you dare.” His grin was one of devilment.

Then he was thrown onto his back with oomph as he found himself nose to nose with his sentinel. “That’s it man, mash me to the mattress, make me know I am yours.” The Dark Guide goaded his sentinel grinning as the Dark Sentinel came out to play.

Simon Banks switched off the listening device he has heard enough, turning to the GDP Doctor he asked, “So what happens now.”

The doctor had risen in respect in the eyes of the Captain when earlier on he had said, “You know Captain, the last Dark Guide, Dark Sentinel adaptor bonding was 70 years ago, most Dark Guides if they are diagnosed in time overload and go insane. Commander Sandburg was lucky that he had the overload at the mixer, it saved his life, stopped him going on line, and he waited long enough for his real sentinel to come along. Dark Guides if they are not diagnosed and bond to a normal sentinel fry their sentinel’s brains, when they bond. The power those two put out in the primal bond, Captain it would have killed an ordinary pairing. Dark Pairs are rare and as I said the last adaptor pairing is 70 years ago, and the condition was not really documented. At this rate the two of them are re-writing the text books.”

“What do you do now”?

“We have the area sealed off, don’t allow anyone up here. An innocent back packer would be torn apart if those two find them, and they look like a threat. Leave them alone for the next seven days. We’ll just leave extra food out for them to find, and just let them settle in the bond.”

He looked at the listening device. “I know that you don’t want to intrude on their privacy, but I do have a direct order from the Director to record and document them. I promise that no one other than the medical team will ever see or hear this, but we have to know what we face.

Simon reluctantly gave in, “Doctor”; there was a warning in that one word.

“I know Captain.”

Simon got out of the surveillance van and walked back to his own car. He just hoped and prayed that everything was going to be all right.

909090909

Seven Days later.

Simon waited for them to enter, he had already been warned that they had entered the building, and had given the Bull Pen a heads up concerning them. There was silence when they first entered the Pen, the eyes of the agents on the smaller figure that flanked Agent Ellison, as for the first time Sandburg entered in the all black uniform of a Commander in the GDP.

Simon did the introductions. “Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Commander Blair Sandburg, PhD, Agent Ellison’s guide. If you have any questions ask them now.”

He had spoken briefly to the dark pair and they had decided to put everything out in the open.

Rafe broke the silence he looked round at the other agents. “ One question Commander, why did you join the GDP, you’re a guide, and when you see how they treat some of the guides, why did you ally yourself to them.”

Blair looked almost nervous. “I rebelled against my mothers up keeping and being a guide the GDP looked like a good career move and they would pay for my PhD.” He was all too aware how mercenary he sounded, coupled with the fact that they might have heard about his bounty for the artifact. It was the truth and he would have to live with it. There was a long pause as if they were evaluating him.

It was Rafe who broke the silence, “Ellison can be a real pain, but he’s our pain, I hope we understand each other”.  He left it hanging in the air, knowing that Sandburg understood him.

Jim started to bristle as he read the sub text to Rafe’s words the warning. But Blair tightened his grip on his arm, “It’s okay Jim,” then to Rafe he said, “Jim is my sentinel, to death and beyond, I would never hurt him.”

Blair felt Jim brush his hand away, but before he could panic at the loss of contact, he felt Jim’s arm circle his waist and he was pulled close, as Ellison a man that never voiced his feelings, the lone wolf of the department, publicly showed his connection, his commitment to his guide.

Accept Blair, or leave them alone, the message was clearly broadcasted.

Simon walked forward, his hand out, and shook hands with Blair.

“Welcome to Shadow Force Commander, your paperwork  has come thought, your  now an Agent.” He paused for affect then added “Agents Brown, Rafe, Ellison and Sandburg, my office, the snail demons are back in town.”

0-0-0-0-0-0

Two Weeks later

SGC Command

The briefing about the artifact was held at SGC Command, and as Blair and Jim stepped out of the Stargate, Blair saw Daniel waiting for him.

“Burg one question, were you GDP when we met.” It was suddenly very important that Blair answered the question.

“No Daniel, it was later, and I never betrayed you. As far as they were concerned you were a 2 barely able to bond, I don’t know who turned you in.”

“My girlfriend Martha actually, I got the grant she wanted” Daniel put in sadly. Then added, “We best not keep Jack waiting. Agent Ellison.”

Daniel acknowledged the Sentinel but for a moment his heartbeat had increased. He had ignored the man, lost in his need to hear Blair’s answer, but he didn’t seem to mind waving the two guides forward and followed on behind them. He ignored the look the AFGP gave him; he would protect them, deliberately tuning them out as they discussed life, archaeology and sentinels.

Something’s never changed, death, taxes and guides discussing their sentinels.

He had a feeling that their next mission was going to be an interesting one, they wanted him and Blair to go to the Chopec System Lord, and the artifact was going to be put to use. But whatever it was he could face it with his guide by his side.

The end.