First Vacation

Prologue

"Jim, I understand how you feel, but I can't authorize the expenditure for that." Simon shook his head, pouring a cup of coffee and handing it to his friend. Jim, relaxed in a chair in front of the desk, accepted it with a small smile and shook his head.

"I'm not asking you to. I'll cover the hotel and flight expenses myself. Just put me down for the conference and I'll show."

"So, you're going to take Sandburg up a couple of days early and spend some time with him?"

Jim nodded, sipping his coffee.

"We're not ready to be apart. After everything we've been through this last year, we've earned a vacation."

"I agree." when Jim glanced up, looking surprised, the larger man smiled. "You're both so happy now. Sandburg's even calmed down some. There's no way I could argue that this *isn't* the best thing that's happened to you."

"Thanks, Simon. That means a lot after everything we put you and the department through."

"And he's going to be submitting his dissertation this year, right?" Jim nodded again, a flash of worry crossing his face.

"Then you definitely need this before things get crazy again." Simon's grin was teasing. Jim matched it.

 

That Night

"You want to take a vacation together?" Blair rolled to his back, hands on his chest, watching Jim as he undressed. He'd gotten in late. After chasing down a suspect he'd had to stay for the questioning. Blair had given up and gone to bed without him, but woke as soon as he walked in the door. "Yeah, that would be great, man. Maybe we can go back down to the reservation."

Jim sat on the side of the bed, trying to decide if he should strip all the way down or let Blair finish for him.

"I was thinking more like you coming to Texas with me for this conference."

"Where is it again?"

"Dallas." Laying back beside his mate, Jim smiled when Blair's hand came over and began stroking lightly along the waistband of his boxers. Definitely let him do it.

"There's a great amusement park near there." Leaning over the bigger man Blair began to trace his ribs with the tip of his tongue. Jim shivered and Blair smiled, but continued, slowly.

"I haven't been to one of those since I was a kid, Chief." Shifting, Jim spread his legs in invitation.

"Neither have I." Blair looked up at him, the tip of his tongue pressed to his upper lip. Jim drew in a quick breath, suddenly needing to resist the urge to throw him back and take him. "Bit I'd like to." his grin was teasing as he ran his tongue around his parted lips, eliciting a soft groan from Jim.

"We can do that." Jim said softly. "If that's what you want, Baby." his hands clenched into fists at his sides, Blair was in charge tonight.

"We're going to be out of Cascade. Where nobody knows us." Blair leaned back over him and brushed his hair, uncut since his time in the desert, over Jim's trembling chest and belly, and then lower. "I want to go open."

"You know -" Jim gasped and shifted, trying to get that ticklish, sensuous feeling where he needed it. " - I'm not good at - public affection.."

"You can do it this once." Blair sat back on his knees, ignoring Jim's whimper of distress.

"If that's what you want,Baby." Now Jim was reaching for him and Blair allowed himself to be pulled close and gently pushed down, talented tongue ready to show Jim just how much he was loved.

"ooohhhh, baby...." those were the last words Jim formed for a long while.

 

At The Airport

"So I'll pick you up tonight." Jim glanced around. He and Blair were in a little alcove of the Dallas/Ft.Worth airport, their bags at their feet. With a grin he pulled his young lover close and nuzzled into his hair.

"Hey, man, I just got it neat." Blair objected without heat. He'd quickly figured out that the reason Jim liked him braiding his now shoulder-blade length hair back was so his lover could mess it up again. Then he raised his head and offered his mouth, an offer Jim seldom refused.

After a heated kiss Jim released him, reached down and handed him his bag.

"I've got time to walk you to your gate before I have to go."

"I hope you don't mind me skipping out on the conference." Blair talked as they walked, ignoring the slidewalk. "I'd just sit in the room and vegetate."

"Not to mention the hassle I'd get explaining you." they exchanged rueful grins. Even with the new liberal policy adopted by the Cascade PD they still got hassled occasionally and there was no reason to believe that the guys here in Texas would be even that understanding. But they had learned balance, and compromise, after so many trials.

"Lex has been after me for months to come see this dig she's on..." Blair picked up where he'd left off. "They're discovering things that will have the history of the battle of the Alamo re- written."

"That better be all you see." Jim was teasing and Blair teased back.

"She's a redhead, Jim, and you know I've always had a weakness..." Jim's hand on his ass, giving it a hard squeeze, was enough to kill that.

"And tomorrow we'll play at the park." Jim leaned to whisper to him.

"As much as I want?" Blair's eyes were as bright as a child's on Christmas.

"Anything you want, Baby."

"I love you, Jim."

They got to the gate and Jim leaned to give him a quick kiss before Blair went tot eh desk to check in.

"No more than I love you."

 

Vacation

"This is *so* cool."

Jim watched his lover as he bounced from foot to foot, his excitement almost tangible.

"I have wanted to do this for *so* long, man."

His hair pulled back into a tight tail, wearing jeans that were more hole than whole, a tight white tank top tucked into them with a blue print button down over it, he looked more like one of the teenagers that surrounded them in the line than an almost-PhD.

"Jim, c'mon, man. Get a little excited here, huh?"

"I think you're excited enough for both of us." even though his words were sober, Jim's face creased into a little smile, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Just think how excited I'm gonna be when we get back to the hotel tonight." Blair settled briefly beside him, leaning close. Without thinking about it Jim put an arm around him. His bright blue eyes swept the crowd around them, daring anyone to say anything.

He'd promised Blair this day, spent as a couple. They were far from Cascade and the people they knew and Blair wanted to be able to claim him publicly. Although he didn't admit it, Jim had realized that he wanted that too.

So here they were. They were going to cuddle and hold hands and be as silly as they wanted and if anyone said *anything* about it Jim would personally shoot them.

Wrapping both arms around Jim's waist, his young lover rubbed his nose into Jim's side, closing his eyes and smiling widely. Then his hand hit Jim's gun, worn beneath the untucked print shirt Jim wore over a t-shirt, in the back, and he glanced up, his eyes worried.

"Are they gonna let you take that in there?"

Jim's eyes were amused when he looked down, and his mouth softened. He hugged Blair closer, enjoying the feel of him.

"I'm a cop, baby. They'll let me."

 

"We should have got here at least an hour earlier." Blair mumbled. His energy level was flagging, beaten down by nearly an hour of sitting in the hard chair in the plain office.

"I'm sorry, baby." Jim sighed from an adjoining chair. "I didn't think it would take this long."

"Mr. Ellison? The chief will see you now."

Blair bounced up before Jim even had a chance to stand.

After all the waiting, it only took a few minutes. The chief of park security examined Jim's credentials, briefly discussed his visit, and then ushered them into the park himself, through a direct-entry door that had no metal detector.

"Enjoy your visit." he said cheerfully.

 

Blair stood, rocking on his heels, studying the brochure, Jim leaning over his shoulder. He took a second to rub his cheek against Blair's and the younger man's grin widened even further.

"A lot of people here." Jim commented.

"Yeah, ain't it great?" Blair bounced one more time, then folded the map and tucked it into his back pocket. "What d'ya want to do first?"

"Let's just start at the beginning and work our way around."

"Cool."

"Then let's go."

They stepped out together. Jim was strolling at his usual pace, and beside him Blair used twice as much energy bouncing and gesturing as he spoke, his head swiveling around like he was possessed as he tried to see everything, everybody.

"Here!" Blair crowed. "Let's ride this!"

Jim looked up high at the long yellow tube that wound round and up and under itself, listened to the rumbling sound of many wheels.

"What is it?" he let Blair pull him to the end of what seemed to be a very long line.

"It's called the Avalanche. Supposed to be like a bobsled." Blair was grinning. "This is so cool, Jim. This is going to be great...maybe we can try a couple of tests while we're here... think of the possibilities."

Ignoring the crowd in front and behind them, Jim put a lazy arm over Blair's shoulders and shook his head.

"Uh-uh, Chief. This is my vacation, too. No tests."

Blair's grin was mischievous.

"Bet I can talk you into one."

"And how are you going to do that?" Jim met the grin with a stern look that faded quickly.

"Like this..." Blair turned and pressed himself to his lover, raising on his toes to nibble on his neck.

"Blair..." Jim hissed. But he didn't push him away, he would never push Blair away.

"Relax, big guy. We're on vacation." Blair whispered into his skin.

"These jeans are tight enough already." Jim objected mildly, old habits dying hard.

"They're gonna be tighter before the day is over." Blair drew back and grinned at him. "I am, like, so turned on by this."

"I've created a monster." Jim deadpanned. But he put his other arm around his lover and lowered his head to nuzzle on him while Blair went back to kissing his neck.

Keeping his eyes open, Jim enjoyed the sensation while on the lookout for a negative reaction from the people around them. There were several disapproving faces and one man looked faintly nauseous, but nobody seemed ready to say anything.

By the time they got to the head of the line Blair was deeply involved in the seduction of Jim's neck and Jim was having just a little trouble breathing. Blair's undivided attention was a remarkable thing.

"We're here." he nudged him away. Blair backed off with a dazzling smile and Jim caught his breath, leaning close to whisper in his ear. "You keep this up and we're going back early."

"No way." his grin widened further. Then they were interrupted by the kid running the ride asking how many people in their party.

"Just two." Jim answered.

The next car rolled up and they were gestured into the back seat.

"You picked this on purpose." Jim said as soon as he saw that they had to sit tandem.

"I get the front." Blair was enjoying himself. Jim sat in the back and let his lover settle between his legs. Blair pulled the safety bar down tight, pushing himself back further and Jim had to spread his bent legs wider. "Oh, I like this." Blair wiggled against him.

"You would." Jim wrapped his arms around Blair's waist and pulled him tight to his chest, Blair's head on his shoulder.

They had to sit and wait for a few minutes. There were two other couples in the same car, seated in front of them, and they seemed to be doing much the same thing Jim and Blair were -- taking advantage of the close quarters.

Jim was rapidly getting harder, pressed tight to Blair's ass the way he was. He dropped his hands to his lover's lap and nuzzled his neck. Blair closed his eyes and leaned back until the car moved.

"Whooooo!" Blair shrieked as they climbed, adding his voice to the others. When they got to the top, though, he pressed back into Jim suddenly, hands clenched on Jim's knees.

"What?" Jim had to shout over the shouts.

"It's too damn high!" Blair gave a shiver.

"I got you." Jim tightened his hold on the younger man. And then they were going down.

The car rapidly picked up speed, until Jim figured they were going at least sixty. Up the walls on the curves, dropping swiftly on the straights. Blair seemed to have forgotten his fear and was yelling along with the rest again, but his hands were still tight on Jim's knees. Each bump pushed him back against Jim and every movement made his ass rub into the older man's crotch. By the time they got to the end and lurched to a stop Jim was grasping for control.

Blair burst out of there, practically dancing, gleeful. He grabbed Jim's hand and dragged him down the exit ramp, chanting.

"Again, again!"

Jim groaned and followed him as best he could, since he could barely walk.

Blair made him ride the bobsled three times. When they got off after the last one he gave Jim a look that plainly said that he knew exactly what it was doing to his lover and he was enjoying it thoroughly.

"auh-auh." Jim wrapped an arm around Blair's waist and pulled him back when he would have run back to the line again. "That's quite enough of that."

"Aww, c'mon, man, just one more time." Blair turned the puppy-dog eyes on him, but the pressure in his pants rendered Jim temporarily immune.

"This is my vacation too, Chief." he glanced around, saw that the people flowing around them weren't paying them any attention at all, and so pulled Blair close and kissed him. He meant it to be light and teasing, but his body had different ideas...it quickly became something hot and hungry. True to his nature, Blair made no protest, but instead gave himself over to the kiss completely, molding his body to Jim's, getting up on his toes to get the full effect, hands fisted in Jim's shirt.

Things were rapidly getting out of hand when a young female voice called out, clearly intended for them;

"Hey! Guys! Get a room!"

Jim released Blair, feeling his cheeks heating and rubbing his face with a hand. He felt Blair hiding his face in his side and leaned close to tease.

"See what you've done now? You owe me food, baby."

Blair's eyes were wide and soft when he looked up and it was all Jim could do to not grab him and pull him back into the embrace.

"I think there's a taco place in here someplace..." he mumbled, lips parted, swollen and dark red.

"No, no. I want amusement park food." Jim grinned. "Ice cream or funnel cake or cotton candy..."

"Jim!" Blair was scandalized. "You can't eat all that junk..."

"Watch me, baby." Jim pulled away from him, grabbed his hand, and led him through the growing crowd to a snack bar.

"Oh, yuck, Jim." Blair stared as his lover polished off a funnel cake by himself. Blair had taken one bite, then winced and made a comment about deep-fried sugar. "That's worse than *donuts*."

"Great, isn't it." Jim grinned, using a finger to pick up the last remaining bits of powdered sugar, licking it slowly, watching Blair's eyes grow wide again. "So what do you want to do now?"

"One of the big coasters." Blair grinned. "I've never been on one."

"Never been on a roller coaster? C'mon, Chief, even you weren't that neglected as a kid." they started walking again.

"I wouldn't get on them." Blair shrugged a little, embarrassed.

"But now you can?"

"With you." Blair looked at him from beneath half-lowered eyelids. "You gonna laugh at me?"

"No, Chief." Jim pulled him close again. "I'm not gonna laugh at you."

"I mean, it should be no big deal after jumping out of a plane after you..."

"It'll be great."

The line at the Texas Giant was the longest they'd seen yet. They waited with everybody else, patiently. Blair leaned into Jim, who wrapped his arms around his young partner and held him close, whispering in his ear.

"You know, I never did anything like this with Carolyn. You bring out the best in me, baby. Make me move beyond my boundaries."

"Mmmmm." Blair closed his eyes and snuggled closer. "It was always there, Jim. Maybe you just didn't know how to access it -- like your sentinel abilities before your time in Peru. Hey, try this...close your eyes and listen and see if you can tell how many people are in this line by the heartbeats."

"A test, Chief? On vacation?"

"C'mon, big guy. These are special circumstances...we aren't in situations like this very often..." Blair's words were cut off by a kiss. "You have got to stop doing that, man." Blair objected when he pulled back.

"What?" Jim's eyes told him he knew exactly what Blair meant, but he was going to make him say it out loud.

"This is getting to be a *bad* habit, man. Every time you want me to shut up you kiss me."

"I haven't heard you complaining." Jim smirked.

"Just close your eyes and listen for a few minutes, okay?" Blair sounded exasperated, but his eyes were twinkling at Jim.

"Whatever you say, boss." Jim closed his eyes. Blair pressed back to his side and he took a minute to just enjoy his Guide's presence. Blair's warmth and weight and scent...Jim let those sensations flow over him.

"Quit it, Jim." Blair's voice held a mild warning.

"What?" Jim feigned innocence.

"The line, Jim. How many people are in the *line*?"

"You know me way too well, Chief." Jim gave him a one armed hug and turned his attention to the test.

Blair waited patiently.

"Um." Jim murmured.

"*Quiet*, Jim." Blair switched to Guide voice. "Just take a deep breath and listen..."

"uh-huh." Jim inhaled, Blair's hand rising and falling with his chest, and concentrated.

After long minutes, during which Blair scooted them both forward a few steps when the line moved, Jim opened his eyes.

"How are you going to check me on this one, Chief?"

"I've been counting." Blair nodded at the crowd. "I may not be accurate, but I'll be close."

"Seventy-six."

"I got seventy-four, so you're probably right." Blair grinned. "That's great. I wonder how big a crowd you could count?"

"Enough is enough." Jim hugged him close again. "Only one test per line, okay?"

"*Deal*." Blair sounded thrilled with the offer.

When they got to the top he hung back, dark blue eyes wide as he looked over the side, then up at the first drop on the coaster.

"Oh gods, Jim, I can't do this."

"Sure you can. It's not as high as the plane in Peru." Jim tugged him away from the rail and out to the loading zone. "I'll be right beside you."

Not looking convinced, Blair allowed his lover to push him into the last coaster car and lower the lap bar over him.

"I know what this is." he started talking while they waited for their turn. Jim took his hand and held it between them. Blair's grip was fierce. "Our society has become too complacent, we crave the adrenaline rush so we do things like this to get it in a safe environment..." his words trailed off as they started moving, going up the sixty foot climb slowly. "Oh, shit, Jim!" he closed his eyes.

"Come on, Sandburg, this is nothing." Jim stroked his face. "If you open your eyes I'll kiss you at the top."

Arching one eyebrow Blair opened one eye and peered at him. "You will?"

"You won't even notice the drop." Jim promised with a reckless grin.

"Ooookay." Blair gripped the lap bar with one hand, the other clinging to Jim's, and leaned as close to his lover as he could with the seat divider between them.

True to his word, just as they crested the top Jim leaned over and locked his mouth to Blair's, his tongue invading the younger man's soft sweetness and lapping it up. Blair groaned, then pulled his head away and screamed as they fell six stories almost straight down.

"Oh shit!" he shrieked as they went around a curve, up another hill and then down, faster and faster. "Oh, god, Jimmmm!"

Jim was hanging onto him, his free arm around Blair's shoulders and Blair leaned into that pressure, closing his eyes and hanging on for dear life.

He didn't open them until they pulled into the loading dock again, and then only because Jim pried him loose.

He glanced around, saw people smiling and laughing and trying to catch their breath.

"I wanna do it again." he said insistently when Jim tried to lead him away.

"I got the impression you hated that, Chief." Jim sounded concerned.

"I can do this. I'm not a wimp."

"Never said you were." Jim let Blair lead him back to the - even longer now - line.

Blair kept his eyes open this time and screamed with the others, but kept a deathgrip on Jim's hand.

By the third ride he was grinning madly and shouting, even holding his hand in the air -- Jim's hand still firmly clenched in it.

"That was great, Jim!" he enthused when they got off the third time.

"So what do you want to do now?" Jim kept hold of his hand, swinging them between them.

"It's getting pretty hot -- how about a water ride?" Blair pulled out the map and unfolded it, Jim leaning over his shoulder again. "We have to go through here and turn there..."

"Let me. I remember the last time you tried to navigate." Jim lifted the map from his hands, holding it front of Blair's chest and reading over his shoulder. Blair grinned and leaned back against him, teasing.

"You better move that ass or I won't be held responsible for my actions." Jim's voice was low and warm, but held a certain amount of threat.

"Sure thing, *big guy*." Blair stepped away, ducking under Jim's arm. "Know where we're going yet?"

"This way." Jim said confidently, folding the map back up and striding off, not waiting for Blair to catch up.

Another long line. This time Blair made Jim close his eyes and try to distinguish the scents coming from the water, which had a definite green tinge.

"Copper sulfate." Jim said promptly.

"You can smell that? Wow." Blair looked over the side, then up at a sign as they got close.

"Actually, Chief, I just know that's what they use to keep the algae from growing in the water." Jim grinned.

"You're gonna pay for that." Blair said cheerfully, reading the sign.

It said that they would get wet. Blair grinned in anticipation.

"I thought you didn't like cold or wet." Jim whispered as they got to the end.

"I don't mind wet when it's hot." Blair protested, climbing down into the large round yellow inner-tube thingy that held ten people.

Jim climbed in beside him and they belted up. Jim propped his feet on the round bar that stood in the middle.

The other people in the tube were a group of college-age girls that all stared at Blair and smiled invitingly. Unable to resist, he grinned back and leaned closer to talk to them.

"Hey." one of them said sweetly. "We're going to go over to the Flashback next. You want to come with us?"

"I've never been here before." Blair grinned wider. "What's the Flashback?"

"It's a cool coaster -- two loops and a twist, it goes forward and then backwards." another explained. "It's better with a guy, though."

Blair glanced at Jim out of the corner of his eye. His lover was complacently studying the sky.

"Your brother can come too." the redhead offered.

Jim choked down a laugh and covered his mouth with his hand. Blair's eyes were very wide, and he stared at the girls.

"Uh...he's not my brother..." he managed, hearing Jim snickering beside him.

"Explain this one, Chief." Jim was enjoying this.

"He's my lover." Blair said quickly. "My partner."

"You have got to stop flirting with girls, baby!" Jim commented as the girls in question gasped and a couple of them made retching noises. Blair had a hand over his mouth, Jim couldn't tell if he were blushing or laughing. "You owe me one." Jim growled low, leaning over and kissing him, opening Blair's mouth with his tongue, claiming him very publicly. Blair didn't even think of resisting, but pressed himself close to Jim, hanging onto his shoulders as he ran out of air.

They broke apart when the tube lurched to a start. Blair was smiling like the sun, and most of the girls were giggling and staring. Jim smiled at them, his small cop smile.

"Sorry, ladies, but he's mine."

"*Jim*." Blair moaned, but he was still smiling. "He gets possessive sometimes."

"Well I would too." the first girl who had spoken chirped. The girl beside her made a face.

"That's disgusting."

"Oh, hush, Beth." the redhead scolded. "Each to his own, I say."

Then they hit the first wave and all the girls squealed as water washed over the side and they got splashed.

It got worse as the ride got faster. More and more water poured over, and there were overhangs with water pouring off them. Soon everyone in the tube was soaked. Jim grimaced and plucked his shirt away from his chest, but Blair was grinning like he was having the time of his life. He screamed and shouted with the girls and Jim watched him with pleasure.

When they got off the girls hung around.

"So, you want to come to the Flashback with us?"

"I dunno." Blair answered, eyes still sparkling. "Jim?"

"Whatever you want, Chief." his partner was distracted. "Just let me get this off..." he pulled off the wet overshirt and wrung it out.

"Oh my god, he's got a gun!" the girl, Beth, said loudly, taking several steps back. Blair held out his hands in a shushing gesture.

"It's okay, he's a cop, don't scream, okay?!"

"You're a cop?" the redhead asked carefully.

"You want to see my badge?" Jim gave Blair a look that said volumes.

"No, that's okay. I mean, you probably couldn't get in with it unless you were legit." the first girl seemed reassured.

"Right." Blair beamed. "So, we gonna ride that coaster or what?" Jim tied the wet shirt around his waist, concealing the weapon again. Blair's eyes were caught by the way the t-shirt clung to his well-cut chest, defining every muscle.

"Let's go!" the redhead led the way, with Beth hanging to the back.

Jim slipped an arm around Blair's waist as they walked and Blair reached to rub a hand on the wet shirt, enjoying the feel of hard muscle beneath the coolness.

"I can't wait to get you into bed tonight." he whispered. Jim squeezed him a little and dropped a kiss to the top of his head.

"So, how long you guys been together?" the redhead, who had introduced herself as Shay, was asking. "I'm a psych major and I like to ask lots of questions when I meet new people." she smiled an apology.

"Psych was my minor." Blair talked rapidly. "I'm a doctoral candidate in anthropology now. What are you going to do when you're finished?"

Jim leaned on the rail and people-watched while Blair chatted with the girls, the conversation taking a dive into his experiences in the Amazon.

"So where did you meet *him*?" the question caused Jim to perk up.

"I was doing some consulting work for the PD." Blair answered, his grin growing wider. "Then my place blew up and I moved in with him..."

"So it wasn't love at first sight?" Shay teased.

"Not hardly." Jim had to put in. "First I had to housebreak him."

"Like I was that bad." Blair protested, and soon they were off on their own little argument, teasing each other back and forth while the girls watched.

"You leave enough wet towels on the floor to soak through the tile." Jim accused with a grin.

"You have more house rules than the monastery."

"You should know, *brother* Blair."

Blair winced at that one, then shot back.

"I jumped out of a plane for you."

"I ate tongue." Jim quipped. Blair just shook his head, unable to top that. Then Jim grabbed him and pulled him close, his hands loosening the tie on the long curly hair and mussing it while he kissed him deeply.

"Uh....uh, Jim..." Blair squirmed, but Jim didn't let him go, so he gave up and kissed him back, gradually getting into it, up on his toes, hands clutching Jim's shoulders as his legs went weak.

"Um, guys? It's our turn." Shay spoke loudly, smothering a laugh. Blair staggered when Jim released him and gave his lover a dirty look.

"That was so not fair, man." he complained mildly.

"You deserved it." Jim knew he was grinning stupidly, but he didn't care.

They got into the coaster car and Blair grabbed onto Jim's hand. Jim squeezed and put an arm around his shoulders and Blair leaned into him.

They were going up the first climb. Jim lay his head back and inhaled deeply, the air hot and heavy in his lungs.

Then he sat up straight, suddenly tense, every nerve alert.

"What?!" Blair saw that look in his eyes, that 'something is very wrong here' look.

"Shhh." Jim held his hand up and Blair hushed. "I smell something."

"Something that doesn't belong here?" Blair was so occupied with Jim that he didn't notice the approach of the top.

"shit!" Jim shouted, unbuckling himself and shouting to the boy stationed at the top of the hill. "Stop this thing now!"

Everyone was staring at him in astonishment. Jim pulled out his gun and pointed it at the frightened kid, who stood and stared, his face draining of color.

"Stop it NOW!" Jim shouted with authority. The other passengers were screaming now, covering their heads and trying to scramble deeper into their seats.

The boy hit a button on the control panel and the cars lurched to a stop.

Blair wiggled out from beneath the lap bar and hit the release on the side, staring at Jim like he'd gone nuts.

"What is it? Jim?!"

"I smell something, Chief. C-4 -- *plastique*." Jim hissed, not wanting to terrify the passengers. "Get them moving down."

"Okay, everybody out." Blair turned and said with as much authority as he could muster.

There were shouts from below, and then screams as people saw the man with a gun.

Several security guards were running up the walk on the side, guns drawn.

"Throw down your weapon!" one shouted.

"Or we'll open fire!" another added.

Jim lowered his gun slowly, not throwing it away, putting it in the holster instead. He reached into his back pocket and the leader screamed a warning.

"Hands where I can see them!!"

"Get my badge, Chief." Jim raised his hands, nodding at them.

"I'm a cop!" he shouted. "There's -- " he stopped, glancing at the people, still in and half-out of the cars. "I'm a cop." he said again.

Blair reached carefully into Jim's back pocket and pulled out his shield. He flipped it open and tossed it to the security guards, grateful when it landed near the feet of the first.

The man leaned and picked it up while Jim kept talking.

"You need to evacuate this coaster." Jim shouted. "I'll explain when everyone is on the ground!"

He waited patiently while the man studied his ID.

"I'm here for the conference!" Jim added. "This is my partner, Blair Sandburg!"

Nervously Blair waved with one hand.

"So what are you doing stopping this coaster?!" the security guard yelled up.

"Can we talk about it when everybody is off?" Jim shouted back.

He released a huge sigh of relief when several of the guards began making their way up and encouraging the riders to come down.

Shay leaned into Blair as she passed, with a frown.

"Well, *he's* exciting to be around."

Blair shrugged.

When all the other passengers were off and the guards were coming up Jim turned to Blair.

"You too, Sandburg."

"No way, man. I'm staying right beside you." the younger man shook his head, hair flying.

"This is serious, Chief. I want you down on the ground, safe."

"I'm not leaving you up here, Jim. I know there's something serious going on. You might need me."

"I can handle it." Jim stepped close and leaned to speak in his ear. "I need to know you're safe."

"We can't work like this, man." Blair shook his head again, then grabbed Jim's hand. "Whatever you smelled, you might zone out trying to find it. You *need* me on this one." He held up his arm and tapped the tattoo that marked their union. "You know what this means as well as I do." he scolded.

Jim grabbed the arm by the wrist and laid a quick kiss on the symbol before releasing it.

"You're right, Baby. I'm sorry."

"Hey, you're my Blessed Protector. It's in your nature." Blair accepted the apology.

Several of the security guys gave them cross-eyed looks when they got to the top, but Jim went right to the point.

"I was army ranger, and I recognize this scent better than anything." he hedged, not wanting to get into a discussion of how he detected this. "There's a bomb on the coaster somewhere, I can smell the C-4 clearly."

"A *bomb*?!" there was a general muttering, a then the captain shushed everybody. "Okay, I'm going to close this down and we're going to spread out and try to fond this, whether it's here or not. We don't take chances here." he got on his radio and soon a cover story was concocted and the men were beginning the search.

"Jim?" Blair looked worried. "Can you follow it?"

"Sure thing, Chief." his partner sniffed the air, concentration creasing his face. "This way." he looked over the side of the coaster and then, without a word of warning, began swinging himself down the struts and beneath the structure.

"Jim!" Blair knelt and leaned over the side. "Ellison, you better be careful!"

The captain of the security team came over and stood above him, also looking down.

"What the hell is he doing?"

"He thinks he's found it." Blair glanced up, pushing his hair back reflexively.

Hanging by one hand and his knees hooked through a bar, Jim was reaching up into the track, just past the drop. Blair watched, worried but holding it in.

"Got it!" Jim called up. "It's right here. There's no timer, just a rigged drop set-up. When the barrier piece wears off it'll blow." He waved up at them. "Send me down a sack or something and I'll pull it for you."

"Let us get a bomb squad in here!" the guard yelled back.

"I can get it." Jim insisted. "No need to risk anyone else."

The guard glanced at Blair, who nodded.

"If he says he can get it safely, then he can pull it safely." Blair said firmly. "Let me go over and lower a rope to get it from him when he's got it."

He walked up the structure, carefully not looking down, and dropped to his hands and knees right over the spot where Jim hung beneath.

"You okay, Chief?" Jim's voice, muffled by the beams and girders between them, was worried.

"Fine, James." Blair fell into the new habit he'd adopted, calling Jim by his full name, using it as an endearment. "They're getting a rope."

Blair waited patiently while Jim worked on the bomb. But it was securely bolted to the frame and he didn't have the tools he needed.

"Got your swiss army knife, Baby?" he called up.

"Yeah."

"Can you get it to me?"

"Uh....sure."

Jim waited for the knife to drop between the track, ready to catch it, and was astonished when Blair appeared beside him, hanging on for dear life.

"Baby, you shouldn't be doing that?!"

"It's in my back pocket." Blair was quivering, eyes locked on Jim, unable to look down. "Just get it out and I'll climb back up."

"Shit, Blair. You're nuts." Jim reached his free hand and dug in the tight back pocket, pulling out the knife and giving Blair's ass a swat when he had it. "Get your butt back up there."

"Yes, sir!" Blair scrambled to follow the order, leaving Jim hanging.

{That was incredibly stupid, Blair.} he told himself as he regained the safety of the top. The security guard was just returning with the rope and a plastic bag.

It took Jim a good forty-five minutes to retrieve the bomb and get it safely passed up. His arms were quivering with fatigue by then. Climbing back up many hands reached to assist him, but the ones he grabbed were Blair's.

He sat for a few minutes, resting, sweating heavily.

The head of security, the man who had cleared him to bring his gun in, came up the coaster a few minutes later.

"I don't know how to thank you." he was shaking his head. "You probably saved a hundred lives by detecting that."

"All in a days' work." Jim shrugged. Blair was beside him, strong fingers massaging aching biceps.

"We'd like to do something to show our appreciation." the man continued. "I've already spoken to the manager and he's authorized me to issue two lifetime passes, with head-of-the-line privileges, and he wants to offer you the chance to be apart of the investigation."

Blair's eyes had widened and his heartbeat sped up when he told them about the passes, but he limped a little at the mention of the investigation. Jim put an arm around him and grinned up at the man.

"No, I'm sure you and the locals can handle it. I'm here on vacation with my partner and we're not finished playing."

The man did a double-take and his smile faltered, but then he recovered.

"Well, naturally. You're on vacation. Just come by my office whenever you're ready and we'll take care of those passes."

He offered a hand and Jim took it, climbing smoothly to his feet, Blair by his side, bouncing with excitement.

"Hey...these passes? Will they get us into *all* the six flags parks?"

"Blair...." Jim warned.

"Of course." the man led them back down the coaster, closed until it could be gone over with a fine-toothed comb. "I hope you enjoy them."

"That's *great*!" Blair couldn't contain his excitement.

"I don't know about you, Baby, but I'm starved." Jim said when they were finally alone again,an hour later. He looked up at the rapidly darkening sky. "We've got just enough time to eat before the fireworks."

They ate at one of the good restaurants, and then staked out a place for the fireworks. Blair snuggled between Jim's legs as Jim leaned against a low rock wall that ran across the field that separated the kiddy area from the rest of the park, pulling Blair back close to him.

"This has been a perfect day." Blair turned in his arms and nuzzled Jim's neck, kissing softly, tongue trailing around his ear, making Jim shiver.

"It's not over yet." Jim firmly turned him back around as the first pyrotechnics it the sky.

 

That Night

"So we're going to stay an extra day?" Blair clung to Jim as they got off the elevator and walked to their room.

"Well, we have the passes and I don't think Simon will mind." Jim slid a hand down Blair's back to rest on the curve of his ass. "And today turned you on so much I'm looking forward to a replay."

"You have no idea how much." Blair crooned as Jim opened the door. Then the smaller man gave him a shove, pushing him inside and over to the sofa, kicking the door shut behind him as his hands began yanking Jim's shirt off.

"Oh yes I do!" Jim's hands joined the game and soon they were both nude, eyeing each other hungrily. They came together in a harsh, hot kiss and Blair turned in Jim's arms, leaning over the back of the sofa, legs spread, looking back over his shoulder.

"I can't wait, James. Take me now!"

Jim leaned to bite the back of Blair's neck and whisper in his ear.

"Hold that pose. I'll be right back."

"Jim...." Blair groaned, dropping his hand to stroke his erection. "I'm too close to wait...."

His mate was back within a minute, hands already slick and cool, fingers going directly the small opening that hid the treasure he craved.

"Oh, god, oh, god, oh, god..." Blair chanted as he thrust back onto Jim's fingers, stroking himself in time to his thrusts. Jim's other hand held and caressed his ass and he leaned to bite at Blair's back, smelling the arousal that flooded his love, feeling the rise of heat.

"Let go, Baby, give it to me, let go..." he urged, his voice thick.

"Oh, oh, oh, oh!" Blair thrust frantically, his hand closing tightly around his cock and then he froze, shuddering, as he came. Before he was finished Jim grabbed his hips and thrust into him, hard and deep, and Blair howled, lunging forward and then thrusting back as Jim began to pound him. He hardened immediately and came again, this time pulling Jim with him, and then they both collapsed, tumbling to the sofa, shaking and gasping for breath.

"Whew..." Blair panted. "Gods, I love you."

Still not able to talk, Jim lay his arm along Blair's pressing their forearms together, his fingers circling Blair's elbow, tattoos rubbing, and he smiled as he panted.

"I know you do, James." Blair leaned to kiss him, open- mouthed, hungry, wet. "I know you do."

any comments? saraid@wf.net