Disclaimer: The Sentinel and its characters are the property of Pet Fly, Paramount, and The SciFi Channel.
Much appreciation goes to Shallan for her beta work... thank you!
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Spoilers: None
*feedback welcome*
Carole
With a wide smile, Blair Sandburg headed across the empty Rainier parking lot, relieved that a long, busy day had finally come to a close. Reaching his Volvo, he opened the front door and tossed his backpack inside the car.
~Meow.~
At the faint mewing sound, Blair turned around, expecting to find a cat behind him. To his surprise, there was no sign of a feline anywhere in the vicinity. He stood still for a moment, listening, then shrugged when the sound wasn't repeated and turned back to his car.
~Meow.~ ~Meow.~
Coming to a halt, Blair searched the area again. Nothing.
~Meow.~ ~Meow.~ ~Meow!~
The muted cries were now louder, and becoming more frantic with each passing moment. Blair fell to his knees and checked under the Volvo. Still nothing. He stood back up, his brow wrinkled in confusion.
~Meow.~ ~Meow!~ ~Meow!~
"I hear you, I hear you. But where are you?" Blair said in frustration. Dropping to his knees again, he checked under his car one more time before regaining his feet.
~Meow!~ ~Meow!~ ~Meow!~ ~Meow!~
The young man took a few steps forward, his eyes suddenly drawn to the small drainage pipe next to the curb and slightly behind his parked vehicle. "Oh, no," Blair moaned, realizing the protective metal grate was missing. "Don't tell me you're down there!"
~Meow!~
Flat on his stomach, he peered down into the darkness. "Here, kitty, kitty."
~Meow!~
"Well, come on. Don't be afraid," Blair said in a softer tone.
~Meow!~
"I can't just go off and leave you there," Blair sighed. Reaching down into the pipe, arm stretched to the limit, he felt a wet, rough tongue licking his fingers. "Cute, real cute. How about coming out of there?" He slid his hand over the cat's head, trying to grasp it by the nap of its neck. Just as he closed his fingers around the fur, the cat twisted away with a faint complaint.
"Here, kitty." Blair maneuvered his body closer to the drainage pipe, and tried to reach the cat again. Soft fur brushed past his fingertips, and then Blair watched in disbelief as the small grey kitten pranced over his arm and out into the street next to him. "Now you decide to come out," he complained good-naturedly, "After I'm wet and dirty."
~Meow.~
Blair chucked as the kitten affectionately patted his arm with one paw. "Yeah, yeah, I know, you're sorry."
~Meow.~
"How 'bout if I..." His voice trailed off. "Oh, no."
"Ellison."
"Uh, Jim?"
"Yeah, Chief. What's up?"
"Well... I finished up all of my paperwork and I was walking out to my car and there was this kitten and-"
"Whoa, slow down, Sandburg. I hope you're not calling to ask if you can bring a cat into the loft."
Blair rolled his eyes. "No, Jim."
"Good, because you know-"
"Jim," Blair cut in. He heaved a sigh as Jim went on, apparently undeterred by the interruption.
"...and neither one of us have-"
"Jim," Blair tried again.
"...the smell and the-"
"Jim!" Blair shouted. He took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm not bringing a cat home, okay?"
"Oh." There was a pause. "So, what's up?"
"Like I was saying, I was walking out to my car and there was this kitten stuck in a drainage pipe, and when I reached in to get him out, I, uh..."
"You what?"
"I kind of got, uh..."
"You kind of got what?"
"Stuck," Blair admitted. "I kind of got stuck."
Silence.
"Jim?"
"Are you telling me that you're stuck in a drainage pipe?" Jim's voice wavered between alarm and amusement.
"No, no, no," Blair reassured him quickly, waving his free arm for emphasis. "Just my arm."
"Just your arm," Jim repeated slowly. "I take it there's no one else around?"
Blair shook his head vehemently, oblivious to the fact that even a Sentinel couldn't see him through the phone lines. "No, this place is deserted, what with the weekend and everything."
"Did you call 911?"
"I don't think so," Blair snorted.
"Yeah, I guess getting your arm stuck in a drainage pipe would be a little hard to explain."
Blair rolled his eyes. "No joke."
Loud sigh.
"Okay, Chief. Hang on, I'll be there in a few. Main parking lot?"
"Yeah, near the west end. Thanks, Jim." Blair hung up the phone and returned it to his pocket.
~Meow.~
His attention drawn back to the small animal, Blair watched as the kitten curled up beside him, purring loudly. Its bright green-gold eyes searched his.
~Meow.~
"Don't give me that look," Blair protested. "I am not taking you home with me."
~Meow.~
Blair rested his head on his bent arm. "I mean it."
~Meow.~
A few minutes later, as a blue and white pick-up pulled in beside Blair's car, the kitten rose to its feet, stretched, and scampered out of sight under the Volvo.
"Hey, where are you going?" Blair patted the ground, trying to entice the kitten to come back. "You don't have to be scared. Jim says he doesn't like cats, but I know better. After all, he's got a black panther for a spirit guide."
"Sandburg?"
"Right here." Blair raised his head as Jim approached. "Hey, Jim."
"Hey, yourself," Jim answered, trying not to laugh at Blair's predicament. He dropped to his knees beside his friend.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Blair said, reading the detective's expression accurately. "Just get me out of here."
With a grin, Jim dropped to his knees beside Blair, and, after studying the situation for a few seconds, quickly freed his trapped partner.
Smoothing down his wrinkled clothes as he got to his feet, Blair grimaced slightly at the wet, muddy spots. "Thanks, Jim."
"No problem." Standing back up, Jim looked around. "So, where's the cat?"
"He's under my car," Blair answered, bending down to look beneath the Volvo. "He's gone," he said in surprise. "I guess he took off when you got out of the truck. Maybe I should-"
"I'm sure the cat is fine," Jim said quickly, before Blair could begin an all-out search or ask him to use his senses to locate the animal . "He probably went home."
Blair shrugged. "I guess," he agreed slowly. "He didn't have a collar, but he did look pretty healthy."
"What about you? Are you ready to head home?"
"Oh, yeah. More than ready." Despite his words, Blair took one last look around before heading for his car.
Taking his seat in the pick-up, Jim waited until Blair was headed down the road before pulling out after him, intending to follow his partner to the loft.
Shadowing Blair for several blocks, Jim suddenly stiffened. His eyes narrowed as a small furry-eared head popped up over the Volvo's back seat and a set of bright green-gold eyes peered out the back window.
Jim blinked in surprise as the cat's eyes met his own and the tiny mouth opened.
~Meow.~
"Sandburg!"
~end~
2003
Author's note: Originally written in April 2000, but put aside in case the kitty decided to make another appearance. Since it never happened, I've decided to post it as is.