Blair watched as Simon got into his car and drove off. He couldn't really be surprised or disappointed by the man's reaction. It hadn't been fair of him to expect Simon to believe what was going on. The whole thing stretched a person's beliefs to the limits. But a small knot of fear had started to form in his chest, nonetheless, when he realized that Banks would not be swayed. He was alone now in what he had to do. Simon had been the only one he could have even considered asking for help.

A gentle purring caught his attention and he saw the panther lazing by the trunk of the tree. "You're looking awfully pleased with yourself," he smiled tiredly at the cat. "Do you know something that I don't?"

Sighing and pushing himself up off the bench, Sandburg headed for his car. Well, maybe he wasn't completely alone. Alejandro would tell him what he needed to know.

The long drive back into the city had not been a pleasant one for Simon Banks. By the time he reached Major Crimes he was tired, hot and completely perplexed by the conversation he had had with Sandburg. Ellison was having very real problems that could be signalling a serious physical disorder. Why hadn't that occurred to the kid? He mothered and fussed over his partner at the first sign of the sniffles. So that left Banks with the task of dealing with his detective. He had secretly hoped that Blair would have given him a good reason to not go ahead with a suspension and a recommendation for physical and psychological tests.

Detouring through the empty bull pen to Ellison's desk, Banks decided to leave the man a note asking him to report to him before the end of the day. Sitting down, he opened the top drawer in search of a notepad. He glanced briefly at the file folders there, lifting them for a more thorough search of the drawer. Deciding a piece of scrap paper would do just as well, he started to slide the drawer closed. It was then that the bold type of the label on the top folder caught his eye. Riley, Dylan : Deceased and the date the case had been closed. Pulling the folder out, he checked the one beneath it. It held the faxes and newspaper clippings, concerning Brian Stevenson and Michael Davis, that he had quickly put together for Ellison and Sandburg during the campus killings. Opening the file, he quickly searched for any notes that Ellison might have made to explain the folder being in his desk. Finding none, he began to flip the folder closed when his eyes strayed to a newspaper article and the picture that accompanied it. He wondered why he had never noticed it before. The picture had been taken at what looked like a country fair. The two men stood against the brightly coloured backdrop of a carousel, smiling into the camera. Looking at the picture, it struck Banks how much the two physically resembled his friends. Michael Davis stood a good six inches taller than Stevenson, dark haired and the same solid build as Ellison. The face, though smiling and relaxed in the photograph, showed the same intense gaze as if always on the alert. And Stevenson, though more than twice Sandburg's age, still had an impish smile and an open trusting face. Wavy dark hair, peppered with thick streaks of white and cut much shorter than the anthropologist's, fell down across the man's forehead and into his eyes. The camera had caught him laughing as he pushed the hair away.

The muscles in Simon's stomach tightened. Never a firm believer in coincidence, he wondered if he was ready to throw away all of his preconceived notions of what he thought of as the real world. There was no reason for these files to be in Ellison's desk. The detective's caseload consisted of the Nguyen murder and nothing else. "Now hold on Banks," he whispered to himself. "That's a mighty huge leap in logic you're contemplating here. A couple of unexplained files in a drawer and you're ready to accept Sandburg's theory?" But was it just the files? Sandburg was right, some cultures believed as strongly in a spirit world as he did in a heaven and a hell. And what about the photograph of the two men? The physical similarities were too startling to dismiss completely. If he could accept a Sentinel, would it be so hard to accept the rest of it? He looked down at the photograph again and then went to Riley's file. The small picture clipped to the report showed a blue eyed, dark haired man, about the same age as Ellison. He flipped up the picture to read the vital statistics. Same age, same height, same weight as Ellison and Davis. "Damn."

"Are you alright Simon?" Joel Taggart's concerned voice drifted across his shoulder.

Feeling like he had been caught with his fingers in the cookie jar, he quickly closed the folders and returned them to the drawer. Banks looked up at the big man standing behind him and sighed. "I thought I was, Joel. But now, I'm not so sure." Pushing back the chair, he got to his feet and fixed his friend with a sad smile. "I think I may owe a young man an apology. I've let him carry this alone long enough."

The phone was picked up on the first ring, much to Blair's relief. He had expected Tony to answer but it was Alejandro's nickname for him that met his ears. Hearing the name brought to mind the time he had spent with the old man. The jungle had been a refuge and a place to heal. But more than that, he had begun to learn about what Incacha had imparted to him. Alejandro was a hatun laika, a master shaman, and Blair's teacher. The Chopec had taken him under his wing and had begun to reveal the secrets of shamanism.

"Jovencito," the old hatun laika's greeting sounded strong and clear across the distance. "You have been on my mind. It is good to be speaking with you again."

"It's great to talk to you again, Alejandro. I've missed our discussions." And surprising himself, Blair admitted, "I've missed you."

"You miss an old man and the quiet of the jungle? Can this be the same young anthropologist who came to visit? I think not," the shaman chuckled warmly.

"I don't remember it being all that quiet, Alejandro," Blair laughed, then turned serious. "There are times that I think I left too soon. There's so much I have to learn."

"Tony tells me that you are troubled, Blair. He says that you are afraid that you will not be able to help your friend. Tell me what has happened and how I can help you."

"Jim's in real trouble, Alejandro. You're the only one that I can talk to about this who isn't going to think I've lost my mind." I hope. "I need to know. You told me that a shaman lives with one foot in this world and the other in the spirit world. Can a spirit do the same?"

"One who is lost may still keep a hold on this world, jovencito. We talked about that. If there is something here that has been left unresolved, it is possible. That is why a shaman walks the path of the west."

"I know, but, could that spirit actually do harm?"

"Do you mean could it hurt someone in this world? Yes. But that is very rare. Usually the person who has died is just seeking a way to the next world and will make itself known."

"I don't think that's what's happening here," Blair sighed. "I think this spirit wants to take what he thought should have been his."

"And you think that your friend is what it wants?" the old shaman sounded surprised. "It would have to harbour such hate for it to reach out this way. This spirit would have to be a very strong one to be driven so. Perhaps you should tell me everything."

"We're not talking just an ordinary man, Alejandro. He was a Sentinel." The thought of having to confess his part in Riley's death had his heart racing. The Chopec Indian had stressed from the very beginning that a shaman saw life in everything and was sworn to protect that life. He didn't know how Alejandro would react. "Riley's senses had driven him insane. He had no guide or shaman to teach him control. The man had died before being able to help Riley. He never found another."

"Ah, his being a Sentinel would explain some of this. He already has a strong contact through his power animal. He has walked both worlds, as does a shaman. But there is more to this, I am sure."

Blair swallowed hard as he tried to continue. "Riley had found and murdered other Sentinels. He thought that they were weak because they depended on their guides for some control. But when he found Jim and I, he thought that we were different. He wanted me to guide him." The phone shook in his hand as he remembered his talk with the rogue Sentinel. "He wanted Jim dead."

"What happened Blair?" The shaman gently probed.

"I killed him," Sandburg gasped. "He was going to kill Jim. I couldn't fight him so I took Jim's gun and I shot him." The memory of it almost choked him as he tried to rub away the sting of unshed tears. "I didn't have a choice."

"And you carry this pain and guilt with you," sadness tinged the old man's voice. "You must let it go, jovencito. It is not good to hold on to it. But you think that it is this man that threatens your friend. Why?"

"Incacha," Blair said flatly. "I had a dream about being back at the Wheel. He was there waiting for me. Riley was there too." He took a deep breath. "Tell me I'm crazy, please. Tell me that this isn't what's happening. Jim's boss seems to think it might be a medical problem. Maybe I should be forcing Jim to go to a doctor."

"But you haven't done that. Why is that?"

"Because," Sandburg's voice dropped lower, "something is telling me that isn't what's wrong. There are too many little things that make me think otherwise."

"I think you are right, Blair," Alejandro sighed. "I too have been dreaming. Incacha has warned that you are to undertake a battle. This is just not what I expected."

"Tell me what I have to do," he pleaded. "It doesn't matter what it is. I'll do it."

"You mentioned a spirit journey to Tony. Are you prepared to try that?" The hatun laika's voice was sharp. "It will be dangerous, Blair. You will not be travelling to meet with spirits who will help you. It will not be the kind of journey we talked of. Do you understand that?"

"Is there some other way I can help Jim?"

"No," the old man sighed. "But you cannot do this alone. Not the first time."

"I don't really have a choice, Alejandro. It's not like I'm going to be able to find someone who's going to be able to help me with this."

"That is why we are coming." The man's answer was such a surprise that Blair almost missed it.

"You're coming here? No. I can't ask you to do that. I.."

"You did not ask, jovencito. We are coming. Tony has already made the arrangements. He will call you tomorrow morning at your office with the schedule."

"Alejandro, I don't know what to say. I never expected this."

"Say nothing young one. Go home, practice your meditation techniques. You will need to be able to attain a deep trance, Blair. You must practice. We will see you very soon." There was a pause and Blair could hear Escobar's voice in the background. "Tony says to rest and not to worry, he will take good care of me," the old man scoffed. "As if I needed caring. He seems to think you needed to know that."

"He was absolutely right," Sandburg smiled. "Say goodnight to him for me."

"I will do that, Blair. Now rest."

Blair sat looking at the phone receiver in his hand, still amazed at what he had heard. Alejandro was on his way. He began to feel some hope.

The elevator deposited the weary anthropologist on the third floor. This would be the first time in over a week that he had dared go home at a reasonable hour. He knew that Jim would be home. His truck was in the parking spot out front. Which Jim would greet him was another thing altogether. Pausing outside the door to the loft, he could here strains of 'Evil Ways' pulsing from inside. Blair smiled to himself. Santana had to be a good sign. And breathing deeply he thought he could smell peppers? Onions? Garlic? And just a hint of ginger. Jim was making stir fry. He was just about to put his key into the lock when the door swung open.

"Sandburg," Ellison's greeting startled the younger man. "Thought I heard you out there." Leaving his friend standing in the doorway, Jim crossed the apartment to shut off the cd player. When he turned back to Blair he saw that he hadn't moved and the expression on his partner's face was one of wariness. He knew he didn't deserve any better and felt a jab of guilt from this morning's outburst. But Sandburg was home. Things felt normal. Maybe they could talk it out.

Blair tossed his backpack next to the small table by the door and tossed his keys into the basket. Rubbing his palms along his pants, he walked into the kitchen and looked into the pans simmering on the stove. Jim still stood by the balcony doors watching him and it occurred to Blair that Jim looked nervous. That was a new one for Ellison. Sandburg immediately regretted the thought, knowing he wasn't being fair. This whole ordeal had taken its toll on his partner. He could see that. Time to fill the awkward silence that was building between them.

"Dinner smells good. Chicken stir fry." He nodded his approval, putting his nose inches from the wok, taking in the spicy aromas wafting up. He turned and grinned at his partner. "When do we eat?"

Ellison's face broke into a smile as he strode towards the fridge. "Rice'll be done in about 15 minutes and I was just going to throw together a salad." He leaned into the fridge, pulling out the ingredients. "That ought to give you enough time to unwind a bit."

"Sure," Blair went to retrieve his backpack. "I'm just going to wash up and I'll be out to help finish making dinner."

"Chief?" Jim had put the vegetables on the counter and now stood by the table. "I'm sorry about this morning. I'm sorry about all of it. I know I've been scaring you." He ran a hand through his hair. "To be honest, I've been scaring me." Taking a deep breath, he knew that something else needed to be said. "Blair, until we figure this out, if you would feel better staying somewhere else..." He looked away.

"No."

"No?"

"No, I wouldn't feel better staying anywhere else, Jim." He watched the smile return to his friend's face and then proceeded to his room. As he crossed in front of his partner, a strong arm hooked him around the shoulders, pulling him into a hug.

"Thanks Chief," came the quickly whispered words along with a firm pat on the back. "Now go get ready for supper."

Dinner conversation had been filled with safe topics. Life at the university and the Nguyen murder had gotten the two men through the meal and the dishes. Blair had finally been able to relax halfway through the meal, not wondering when the other one would pop up. And he noticed that when he relaxed so did his partner. Jim became more animated in his replaying of the days events, smiling and cracking the odd joke. While clearing up the last of the dishes and making coffee, Jim had stood closer than he normally would have. Tonight, Blair's being there didn't seem to be bothering the Sentinel and he found himself constantly standing in what he referred to as his partner's breathing space. Sandburg had learned early in their friendship that Jim would bristle if he found himself crowded and had always assumed that this was a part of the heightened senses. Blair knew that his friend was drawing comfort from this small return to routine and he wanted it to last as long as possible. No talk of nightmares, Alejandro or Riley. He didn't want to spoil the peace they had found. With a contented sigh Blair poured himself a coffee and went to join Ellison on the balcony.

Jim heard the balcony door open and swoosh softly as it closed. He heard the scrape of the chair as it was pulled closer to the table and the clink of ceramic hitting glass as a cup was placed down on it.

"So what's it like, Jim?" Blair's voice came from behind him, sounding wistful.

"What's what like?" Ellison pulled a chair up to the other side of the table and sat down. Reaching with a foot, he grabbed a third chair and dragged it closer to put his feet up. He saw Sandburg's eyebrows rise and the small grin and knew what the younger man wanted. With a light shove, he moved the chair close enough for Blair to use as well.

"Thanks." Sandburg kicked off his shoes and propped his feet up. "What's it like to be able to cut through the city lights and the haze and be able to see all the stars?"

"Pretty spectacular, kid. I never get tired of it."

"Guess that kind of makes up for some of the not so great stuff you see on the job?"

Ellison turned to look at his Guide. "Yeah, I guess it does," he sighed. "Just idle curiosity, Sandburg or is this going somewhere?"

"Idle curiosity, Jim." Blair flashed him a smile. "Sometimes I just wonder what it must be like for you. My world's gotta seem pretty bleak in comparison."

"Oh, I don't know Sandburg, nothing about you strikes me as being bleak," he laughed softly. "And don't forget, if it wasn't for you I wouldn't be seeing much of anything. I'd be sitting in some padded room right..."

"What is it?" Blair saw his friend stiffen. "You okay?" He knew his heartbeat had increased and tried to force himself to relax, but the fear that the other one had managed to take control again stopped him. With some dread he realized that Jim was between him and the door.

"I can't believe I said that to you." Ellison's eyes widened.

"Said what?" Sandburg was confused.

"That I don't need you. That you hold me back because you're afraid. Lord, I don't even know where that came from!" He rubbed his hands over his face. "You know, for the past few hours I've actually been able to forget everything that's been going on. But Chief, what I said..." He searched for an apology.

"It's okay, Jim. Don't worry about it. I know you've been feeling stressed lately." Not wanting to get into a discussion, Blair added, "let's not think about that right now."

"But I think we have to talk about it," Jim insisted. "You started to tell me what you thought was going on, but I lost my temper. If you know what's happening to me, Blair, you have to tell me. I'm not really sure I can handle much more of this."

It would have been impossible to miss the underlying panic in his friend's voice, but the last time he had tried to talk with Jim, Riley had asserted himself and had warned him not to push it. Sandburg wasn't really sure he wanted to try again, especially alone. Alejandro would be there in a day or so. He wanted to wait for him and Tony.

Ellison sat watching the conflicting emotions cross the younger man's face. The desire to help was there but so was fear. His heart sank when he saw it. "You're afraid to talk to me, aren't you?" He wondered if the past two weeks had permanently damaged the trust his partner had in him.

"No," Blair lied. But the word had come out a little too sharply, even to his ears. "I just thought for one night we could relax, that's all." He wanted to hold strong and wait for Alejandro, but the absolute desolation on the Sentinel's face won out. "Are you sure you want to hear this now?" he asked quietly.

"Yes."

Getting up from where he sat, Sandburg moved to the chair that had served as a footstool. "Okay, we're going to try something, Jim. Something to help you maintain some control." He pulled the chair up closely enough so that their knees almost touched. "I want you to focus on my heartbeat and scent."

"Is this really necessary?" Jim asked, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"If you want to talk about this, it is. You've lost it every time we've tried." Blair reminded him. "You trust me, right? So do it."

"I don't have to consciously focus on you, Chief. I always am. Part of that Sentinel and Guide bond you're so fond of telling me about."

Sandburg smiled at that. "That's good to know. Now I want you to concentrate on what that means." He saw Jim frown. "You know, use me as an anchor. You said that you've felt like you've been watching from the outside. What does it feel like just before that happens?"

"Kind of like being disconnected. Like a door's being slammed shut in my face." Ellison's frown deepened. "And you're on the other side."

"So let me be a foot in the door then. Soon as you feel it start to happen I want you to put everything you've got into hanging on to me." He heard his friend sigh in frustration. "C'mon, stay with me on this. It'll all make sense in a couple of minutes."

Taking in a deep breath, the Sentinel relaxed. "Okay Chief, I'm focused. Talk."

"You said back in my office that you were losing it, Jim. That's not true. Someone's trying to take it away from you." Blair watched his friend's face closely. "You said that you've felt like someone's been looking over your shoulder, that you've had a vague feeling of being threatened. It all makes sense Jim. You know it does. You know who it is you've been feeling."

A look of panic flitted across the older man's face and Blair suddenly found his wrist being gripped tightly. "You okay, big guy?" The grip relaxed slightly and his partner nodded. "Tell me who it is, Jim. Just let yourself see who it is."

"It's crazy, Sandburg," Ellison's voice quavered.

"No it's not, Jim," Blair insisted. "Just say it. What's it going to hurt?"

"Riley. It's Dylan Riley." He searched his Guide's face for shock, surprise, any sign that the kid thought he was nuts. But all he saw was a triumphant smile.

"I know."

"But," the detective pressed, "he's dead. What? Am I supposed to believe that he's taken up residence in my head? Is that it?" He snorted in disgust as he realized that was exactly what his friend thought. Getting up, he crossed to the far side of the balcony. "Damn it Sandburg, you're crazier than I am."

"Yeah, maybe, that's what you keep telling me," the anthropologist agreed. "But not about this, Jim."

"I'm not a big fan of devil movies, Sandburg. I don't believe in people being possessed by demons."

"Me either." Blair had moved to stand next to his partner. "But what about one really pissed off spirit? It's not impossible."

"That is just so much crap." Ellison moved away to put some distance between himself and his Guide's unrelenting stare.

"Yeah, well that's what some people might say about the Sentinel of the Great City," Blair argued. "And what about the panther? What about what Incacha said? Jim, he called me a shaman. You heard that and never questioned it. Sorry Jim, but Sentinels are a part of the whole spirit thing. You just can't pick and choose what you want to believe."

The Sentinel's fingers moved up to massage his temples. He knew that what he was hearing made sense and explained what had been happening to him. A small part of him took some comfort in knowing he wasn't losing his mind. "So if you're right, Sandburg, what are we supposed to do?"

"We fight him Jim."

Ellison's eyes narrowed and he quickly closed the distance between himself and his Guide. "No, you can't." His tone was fierce as he grabbed Sandburg's arms. He heard the younger man's breathing quicken and realized he was scaring him but he was sure he knew what his friend was planning. "I can't let you."

"Uh Jim, you're cutting off the circulation in my arms. You want to ease up a little?" Blair grinned nervously and took a step back when his arms were released. "What can't I do?"

"You don't mean we can fight him, you mean you. Whatever it is you're planning, it's dangerous." The detective growled in frustration. These damn feelings he had been having were starting to get on his nerves. "I know you've got something planned and I don't want you to try it. You don't know enough about any of this."

"I know enough," Blair said quietly. "And I meant that we would fight him, Jim. Not just me. You just have to keep pushing him away every time you start to feel that door closing."

"I do try, damn it!" Ellison swore angrily. "But sometimes I can't. Sometimes he's just too strong. That damn voice always in my head. Pushing me!" He ran a hand through his hair. "And he pushes hardest when you're around. I'm afraid I'm going to wake up one morning to find out that I've murdered you in your sleep."

"That's not going to happen," Blair soothed. "We'll beat him."

"Chief, I'm not sure I'm willing to take any chances. Maybe you should move out for a while. I'm really afraid I'm going to hurt you."

"No," Sandburg shook his head adamantly. "We have to stay together on this, Jim. I know I can do this."

"Do what?" Ellison pleaded. "What is it you think you can do? How are you going to fight something that's going on in my head?" Jim threw his hands up in exasperation. "Do you know how insane all of this sounds? If what you say is true, and Riley is somehow trying to take over, how can you stop it? Shouldn't it be me who is doing the fighting?"

"You are fighting him, Jim. If you weren't, who you are would be gone," Blair insisted. "You're just going to have to trust me and believe that I know what I'm doing."

"Chief," Ellison's hands came down on the younger man's shoulders. "There is no one I trust more than you and no one else I believe in." He hugged his friend to him. "I'm just scared, for you...and for me."

An enraged filled scream broke the silence of the fortress. Incacha looked around him, searching for its source. Dylan Riley stood at the edge of the citadel next to one of the spires.

"He's not going to stop me!" Riley took a step forward onto the tiled floor. "None of you are!"

"You are not welcome here." Incacha held up a hand to stop the other man's advance. "Accept your fate. You can not win."

"You're wrong," Riley sneered. "I can win and I will." With that he retreated back into the jungle.

"He may be right, you know." Incacha turned to find Alejandro standing next to him. "Blair is young. He has just started to learn."

"We will be here to help him, Alejandro. He will not be alone."

The old Chopec grimaced. "He will be alone. You know that. I will be there to protect him from physical harm, but I cannot be here." He put a hand on the other man's shoulder. "And you cannot help him. Not in this fight. He must make things right."

"Enqueri will not survive if he loses his friend. The other will get what he wants. Does the young one know the danger he faces?"

Alejandro shook his head. "He knows that he has to face Riley. We have talked of a spirit journey. But I have not told him that what happens here will seem very real. That injuries suffered here will hurt him." The hatun laika sighed. "He must be told or he may be reckless."

Simon managed to look both apologetic and uncomfortable when Jim opened the door. He was having second thoughts about the wisdom of confronting his detective about the discoveries in his desk. Ellison looked a little pale and weary but the smile and greeting seemed genuine enough as he entered the loft.

"Evening Jim, sorry to come over so late, and without calling, but I needed to discuss something with you." He looked around the empty loft, disappointed to not see Sandburg there. He wanted the moral support. "So, the kid not around?"

"Yeah, he's out on the balcony. We were having a coffee. Can I interest you in a cup?" He took a mug down from the shelf. "Why don't you head on out. I'll bring it."

"Actually Jim, this isn't really a social call. I want to ask you a couple of questions before I make my decision."

Ellison turned slowly to look at his captain. He had been expecting this discussion days ago, knowing that he had pushed the man's patience to the limits. He had pushed everyone in Major Crimes to the limit. "Yes sir. I was wondering when we would get around to this talk."

Banks heard the door open behind him and watched as Sandburg took up his position next to his partner. "What decision would that be, Captain?" the younger man asked.

"It's not what you think, Sandburg. Do you mind if I sit?" He looked at Ellison. "Maybe I will have that coffee."

The detective poured the coffee and joined the other two at the table. "You had some questions sir?" He glanced at Sandburg's stern face and wondered what it was he had missed. There was obviously something going on.

As if the coffee could offer some fortification, the police captain took a long sip. "I was going to leave you a note this afternoon asking you to meet with me. I wanted to talk about your behaviour of late."

"Yes sir, but I..."

"Just let me finish Jim, explanations can come later," Banks interrupted. "While I was looking for some paper to write the message on, I came across some things in your desk. I'm curious as to why they were there."

Ellison's smile was easy. "You're going to have to clue me in, sir. I'm not sure I know what it is you mean."

Simon cleared his throat. "I'd like to know why files on Dylan Riley and Davis and Stevenson were in your desk. As far as I know those cases are closed."

"You found those files in my desk?" Jim's eyes narrowed. "I don't know why they'd be there. The only thing I'm working on right now is the Nguyen murder. I haven't really gone into my desk except to grab a pen. Most of what I'm working on is sitting on top of my desk." He turned to look at Sandburg. "Chief? Did you take those files out?"

Before the anthropologist had a chance to answer, Banks was speaking again. "Your signature was on record, Jim. Not Sandburg's. I'd like to know why you needed them."

"To be honest Simon, I don't remember signing them out. But that doesn't surprise me. Nothing does lately," Ellison sighed.

"I see." Banks took another drink from the cup. "I had really hoped that you would have a better explanation for this, Jim. I've thought about nothing else since I left work. Trying to decide what action to take."

Blair closed his eyes and waited for the bombshell to hit. Simon was going to put Jim on suspension and recommend physical and psychiatric assessments. He had no idea how his friend would take it.

"So all I really want to know now is how I can help." He smiled at the observer's shock. "I'm assuming that the two of you have talked some about what's been going on. You asked me for my help this afternoon, Sandburg, but I never gave you a chance to tell me what it was you wanted me to do. I'm asking now."

Ellison looked from one man to the other, waiting for an explanation. "Either one of you want to tell me what it is you're talking about?"

"I talked to Simon this afternoon, Jim. I told him what I thought was going on." Blair winced, knowing his friend wouldn't be pleased. "I had to talk to someone and the captain was getting really concerned about your behaviour."

"It's okay, kid," Jim said, giving his partner a sad smile. "This has been a lot for you to carry around." He turned to Simon. "I'm still not sure how much of this I believe, sir. But as far fetched as it sounds, I like it better than thinking I've lost my mind."

"Well I'm not sure I believe any of it," Banks grumbled. "I just know that you two need help and I'm here to offer it. Not that I'm complaining Ellison, but you seem strangely calm about this." He leaned back in his chair. "In a lot more control than you have been in the past week or two."

"I'm not calm, trust me. But I do feel in a little more control tonight. I don't know why. I just do." He slapped Sandburg on the back. "Maybe we have Riley on the run, Chief."

"I wish it were that simple, Jim. But it's a start," Blair smiled. "Captain, I was wondering if we could borrow your cabin this weekend?"

"Provided that I can join you, I don't think it's a problem."

The Sentinel turned to look at his friend. "What do you have in mind, Chief?"

Blair shrugged his shoulders. "It just seems like the right thing to do. Just to get out of the city for a while."

Sandburg crawled into bed at midnight after excusing himself and leaving Jim and Banks still talking out on the balcony. Simon had been right, Jim seemed in control. There had only been one flash of anxiety when he had been telling his partner his theory about Riley. He desperately wanted to believe that somehow Riley had given up and that things would stay relatively normal. But he knew better and Riley's being quiet and Jim's being in control were making him nervous. He lay awake thinking and waiting for the proverbial other shoe to fall.

He finally drifted off to the comforting sound of the voices just outside on the balcony. Alejandro, Tony and now Simon would be there to help him. He only hoped it would be enough.

Ellison tossed the last of the gear and supplies into the back of the pickup. Saturday morning had dawned bright and cool, a perfect day for the long drive to Simon's cabin. "Sandburg! Let's go!" As always, his young friend was the last one out. He heard the slam of the loft door and the race of feet down the three flights of stairs.

"Geez, Jim. I just woke up," Sandburg yawned. "Can we stop somewhere for coffee?"

"Sure, soon as we get out of the city and onto the highway." Ellison stared more closely at his partner. "Are you feeling alright, Sandburg? Did you get any sleep last night?" He had heard him tossing and turning well into the early hours of the morning.

"Yep, I'm fine," Blair lied. "Raring to go." It was obvious that the detective didn't remember the nightmares he had had. Sandburg had woken, shaking, each time his friend yelled out in his sleep. Last night had been the worst. As he had gone up the steps to check on Jim, he heard his name being shouted out with such hatred that it sent him back down the stairs. And there Sandburg had stayed, sitting at the bottom of the steps until his friend quieted. The frequency of the nightmares had increased the night Blair had told Jim his fears about Riley. Somehow the Sentinel managed to stay in control during the day, but Blair wondered how long it would last. All he could hope for was that it would be until Simon arrived with Alejandro and Tony. They were due at the cabin a few hours after he and Jim got there. The long flight and jet lag had left Alejandro in no shape to travel immediately. So far, Alejandro and Tony's arrival was still a secret. One Sandburg preferred to keep until the last possible minute.

"You're pretty quiet, Chief?" Ellison carefully merged into the highway traffic. "Looks like this weekend away should do us both some good." Accelerating to keep up with traffic, he asked, "so what time is Simon supposed to meet us?"

"He said he'd try to be there by noon, but that a lot would depend on traffic." Blair popped a tape into the tape deck. "He also said that you were to wait for him to start fishing. He doesn't want to spend the entire weekend listening to you gloat about your fishing prowess."

"Is that all this weekend is about?"

Blair could feel steely blue eyes boring into him. "Yeah, sure it is. What else?"

"You still haven't told me what you were planning about Riley. In fact you haven't mentioned anything about it for the last couple of days." Jim glanced sharply over his shoulder as he changed lanes. "You know I've been feeling pretty good the last few days. Maybe we were wrong. Maybe it was just stress. Maybe..."

"No Jim. We're not wrong. You've been having nightmares. Haven't they woken you up?" Blair shivered as he remembered his friend's shouts of anger. "He's still trying Jim." He saw the detective's knuckles whiten as they gripped the wheel harder. "You can't let your guard down yet."

Alejandro had sat stiff and tense during the first part of the drive to the cabin. Once he saw the Cascade mountains looming up ahead he began to relax. He had spent many years living in big cities in Peru and in North America as a student and then a teacher. He found that as he got older that there was no place in those cities for an aging shaman. His gifts as a healer and teacher were overshadowed by the high tech medicines and pop psychologies that surrounded him. And so he had returned to his roots and small village. There he had found peace and a sense of purpose. He had grown from shaman to hatun laika as his skills and knowledge increased. His connection to the spirit world was strong, sometimes making him wonder if he were not to soon join the souls he had met there. A smile came to his lips as he contemplated that final journey. He would find many of the answers he sought. Shaking himself from his reverie, he turned to the man who drove the car.

"The mountains are beautiful, Simon. I can see why this would be your retreat." He watched as the landscape passed by his window. "Blair has told me that you come here often. He calls it recharging your batteries." The old man smiled at Banks' surprised grunt.

"So Sandburg's talked about me, has he?" Simon's grin spread across his face. "And you still got into the car with me?"

"He told us about all of his friends when he stayed at Tampo Machay." Escobar's voice carried across from the backseat. "He is a very good storyteller."

"Oh, that he is, Tony," Simon laughed. "One of the best."

"All shamans are, it is part of their function." The Chopec saw the smile leave the police captain's face. "This bothers you?"

"I'd be lying if I said it didn't bother me, Alejandro. All of this does. I promised Jim and Blair that I would help them, but they know that I don't understand or really want to try to understand all that's going on," the man sighed. "It's just a little too much for me to accept right now."

"You are a good friend," Alejandro said as he gave Simon's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

Simon's teeth clamped down harder on the ever present cigar. "Can you tell me some of what's going to happen? Blair told me a few things yesterday."

"Blair was right, his friend Jim is being attacked from the world next to this one. Dylan Riley wants to take his place here. I have seen it."

"So you're saying it's like being possessed then?" Simon spared the man a quick glance. "Is this going to be like an exorcism?"

"Usurp would be a better word than possession, Simon. This will not be a case of a spirit possessing a body to make it do what it wants. Riley wants his life back and will take it through your friend." Alejandro explained. "And exorcism may be what it will seem like, but there is no demon to be cast out. The fight will not take place here."

"You lost me, Alejandro," Banks sighed. "Where will the fight be then?"

"A shaman walks two worlds, Simon. It will be in another place."

"And that's why Blair called you. You're going to try to stop Riley?" The captain considered the frail figure seated next to him and wondered where the old man would find the strength for any sort of fight.

"No," came the reply. "This is not my journey. It is Blair's."

The answer caught Simon completely off guard and he fought to concentrate on the road ahead of him. The kid?

"You seem surprised, Simon."

"Surprised is putting it mildly. We're talking about Sandburg, teaching fellow, anthropology student. He's..." Banks was at a loss for words.

"He's companion to a Sentinel and an initiate into the ways of shamanism," the hatun laika finished for him. "He is all of these things."

"For discussion sake, I'm going to agree with you. Blair has certainly proven himself as being someone never to be underestimated. So it's going to be his battle. I still don't understand how this is going to happen."

"It will be a spirit journey. The shaman goes into a trance or state of meditation that allows him to cross the threshold into the world beyond this one. It has often been referred to as an ecstatic state. There are three trance states with the most effective being the deep trance. This is what Blair will have to achieve to do what he must do."

"What are you leaving out, Alejandro?" Simon began to feel uneasy. "Is there any danger involved? The kid has a knack for attracting it."

"There is always the possibility that a shaman may not return." The old man's hand tightened his grip on the armrest between them. The only outward sign of his fear. "In the deepest trance, everything that occurs will seem real. His body will react to what his mind is telling it. If he were to be injured in any way it would be a real injury for him."

"What you're telling me is that Sandburg is going to go up against a sentinel, alone." Simon shook his head. "And if he loses he might not be coming back. Does he realize this?" Alejandro nodded. "Of course he does and knowing Blair it wouldn't make any difference. Obviously he hasn't told Jim any of this or we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"He wants to wait until the last minute," Tony interjected. "He knows that Jim will try to stop him."

"It'll kill Jim if he loses Blair because the kid was trying to help him," Simon argued. He wished he had never started the discussion.

Alejandro's sigh seemed to come from the depths of his soul. "You do not understand, Simon. If he loses, there will be no James Ellison only Dylan Riley."

"What's up, Jim?" Blair asked as he sat on the riverbank next to his friend. The Sentinel's posture had been anything but relaxed since they had arrived. He had tried everything to get his partner to unwind and enjoy the peace and quiet but Ellison's face never showed a hint of relaxing. Sandburg took stock of the effect Dylan Riley had had on him. The summer tan barely hid the detective's pallor and the quick smile had all but vanished in the last few weeks. The man sitting next to him was on the verge of snapping. The effort it took to maintain control was slowly, but surely, becoming too much for him. Hopefully he wouldn't have to suffer through it much longer. "Thought we were going to use this weekend to rest and unwind. You grind your teeth together any harder and you'll be making an appointment with the dentist when we get back." He flopped back on the cool grass and looked up at the blue sky through a canopy of leaves. "I love coming here. I'm glad we decided to make the trip." Still no response. "Good thing I can talk enough for the both of us, Ellison," he sighed, getting up to leave.

"When are you going to tell me what you plan to do, Chief?" Jim had finally turned to look at him. "I can't shake this feeling that something's going to happen to you and I won't be there to stop it."

Blair sat back down but was saved having to answer his partner's question. The crunch of stone under tires announced Simon's arrival. "Hey there's Simon. He made great time." Slapping the older man on the back, he went to greet the captain.

Three heartbeats met the Sentinel's hearing. Jim got to his feet to follow Blair, wondering who Simon could have brought with him. Picking up his pace, he and Sandburg crested the small rise just as the sedan pulled up to the cabin. As the front passenger door opened, revealing Alejandro, Ellison felt the first stab of a headache. He judged from the strength of it that a migraine was on its way.

"He's weakening Alejandro." Blair skipped a flat stone across the narrow stream. "He's been able to fight Riley during the day now that he knows who he's fighting, but it takes so much out of him. The nightmares are getting worse."

"This is not something to be rushed into Blair. There are many dangers you may not be aware of," the old shaman explained.

"I know what you're going to say. I've done some reading. I've done a lot of reading in the last couple of weeks," the anthropologist sighed. "But I don't understand the panther. It's been with me, not Jim. I thought it was Jim's spirit guide, not mine."

"Jovencito, you are his spirit guide," Alejandro smiled. "I thought you knew this. You and your Sentinel share the panther. It is your spirit guide and the Sentinel's spirit animal. It is right that it is for both of you. Your paths are the same." He rested a hand on the young man's arm. "You do that very well, Blair. Changing the subject when you do not want to talk about it."

"Not well enough," Sandburg grinned. "I was serious, though. I have done some reading. I know that it could be dangerous."

"You have experienced a deep meditation, you know that it feels very real. Everything that will happen to you will be real. In your mind you will know no difference. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Blair nodded, feeling slightly uncomfortable under Alejandro's penetrating stare.

"If Riley hurts you, you will feel the pain. If the injuries are severe enough, you may not come back. You must be careful."

"I know. I will be careful Alejandro," Sandburg promised. "But what do I do? How do I stop him?"

The old shaman shook his head. "I do not know. You will know what to do when the time comes. I wish I could tell you more." The Chopec breathed in deeply and let it out in a sigh. "This is a hard journey for one so young. Come, we will meditate, strengthen our souls. You need to prepare yourself for tomorrow."

Sandburg nodded and started his mental ritual to relax but got no further than the first deep breath. He could hear Tony's panicked shouts before the man reached them. Getting up quickly and sprinting up the small embankment, he saw Tony running towards them.

"Blair, it's Jim." Escobar gasped as he met Sandburg. "He's collapsed. Simon is with him."

Not waiting for either Tony or Alejandro, Blair ran for the cabin. It seemed to take him forever to cover the few yards to his friend. Throwing the door open, he skidded to a halt. Jim lay on the floor of the main room, with Simon kneeling beside him.

"Simon, what happened?" Blair fell to his knees next to his partner, relieved to see the rise and fall of his chest. "How long has he been out?"

"Tony, Jim and I were just sitting and talking. He seemed pretty tense the whole time but with everything that's been going on, I didn't expect anything different. He stood up suddenly and said to get you and then he collapsed. It's been a few minutes." Simon looked back at his fallen friend. "He was still complaining about the headache. Do you think that had anything to do with it?"

"I don't know, maybe." Sandburg looked behind him, hearing the other two men coming up the steps to the porch. "Maybe Alejandro can do something." Swallowing down his fear, he laid a hand against his friend's forehead. "Oh man, he's so pale, Simon. We should get him to a hospital. He doesn't look like he's coming out of it." A bony hand gripped Blair's shoulder and he looked up at Alejandro.

"They won't be able to help him there, jovencito. Let's move him to one of the beds so he is more comfortable. We will do what we can for him." The old man moved to put his hands under the detective's shoulders.

"It's okay Alejandro, Simon and I can do it." Blair slid his arm under the Sentinel's shoulders and helped Banks get him to his feet.

"Lean him against me, Sandburg," the captain ordered. "I can carry him." And he slung the unconscious man over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. Blair, Alejandro and Tony followed him into the bedroom.

Once Ellison was resting comfortably and both Alejandro and Blair had satisfied themselves that he was breathing easily and that his pulse seemed fairly normal, if a little slow, the old shaman took Sandburg's arm.

"Come with me, jovencito."

"No!" Blair looked from Jim to the Chopec. "I'm not going to leave him now. What if he needs me? I should have been here earlier." He saw that the shaman wasn't moved. "Please, don't ask me to leave him now. At least let me wait until he comes to."

"He will not wake up, jovencito. And you are right, he does need you." He laid a hand on the younger man's back, steering him towards the door. "We will go outside. You cannot focus your energies if you are here."

Sighing, Blair knew that the hatun laika was right. "Okay, let's go. But Simon..."

"I'll look after him, Sandburg." Banks was never so aware of how young the anthropologist was than at that moment. The kid looked lost, torn between staying with Ellison and doing what Alejandro was telling him to do. Every paternal instinct he had told him to do something. Getting up from where he had been kneeling next to the bed, he went over to Sandburg. Imitating a gesture he had seen Ellison do many times, one that seemed to have a calming effect on his partner, Banks put his hand on the nape of Blair's neck and gave it an affectionate squeeze.

"Don't worry about Jim. You know I'll look after him. You just concentrate on whatever it is you have to do." The old shaman's warning about what could happen to his young friend rang in his ears. If Alejandro was right, he could lose both his friends that afternoon. "I know you can do it." He pulled a surprised Sandburg into a tight embrace. "You watch your back."

"Clear your mind, Blair." Alejandro's voice was low and soothing. He watched as the young man closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The old Chopec could almost see the tension drain from his face as muscles relaxed. They were once again sitting crosslegged by the narrow stream. "Feel nothing but the warmth of the sun, listen to the flow of the water. Let it take you."

The young shaman imagined himself a part of the stream and let its current carry him away from Alejandro's voice. Away from the cabin and closer to...

...the Wheel. Blair was standing at the northern tip of the wheel, the place one met their ancestors. He shuddered to think what that might mean. He searched the crumbled ruins for signs of others, but the light mist that usually shrouded the Wheel seemed thicker and cast swirling shadows. Incacha was nowhere to be seen. Neither was Riley. Not sure what to do, he walked the long path to the centre of the wheel. Thin tendrils of fog seemed to take on a life of their own as he walked through them. They were icy fingers running across his arms and face. The awe he usually felt when he came to this spot was now a cold, hard, gut-wrenching fear. Too much rested on his doing the right thing. But no one had told him what that was. His hatun laika had promised him that he would know instinctively when the time came. Alejandro had never been wrong before in what he had told him. Sandburg just had to hope that the old man's faith in him was justified.

The soft pad of paws came up from behind and Blair watched as the panther loped by him, heading towards the western section of the wheel. He followed the big cat's path with his eyes until it seemed to vanish into the mist. His heart skipped a beat. He could see Riley just outside the fortress borders, in the jungle. Jim was with him and the two were locked in a silent struggle.

Running, Blair covered the distance between them. Neither man had noticed his approach. He watched in horror as he saw Jim stumble and fall. Riley now stood over him, his hand raised above his head. With sickening clarity, Blair saw that he held a knife. The same knife? It was happening all over again, only this time he had no weapon to stop the man. Pouring every once of energy he had into his legs, Sandburg launched himself across his friend's body and tackled the rogue Sentinel. The force of the impact sent Riley reeling backwards, carrying Blair with him. The momentum came to a sudden, bone jarring halt as Riley crashed into the trunk of a tree. The bigger man lay there, stunned, as Blair rolled off him. He took the knife from nerveless fingers and tucked it into his belt.

"Young one." Incacha stepped from the tangles of tropical undergrowth and helped Sandburg to his feet. "He should not be here," the Chopec nodded at Ellison.

Jim still lay on the ground, exhausted and disoriented. Rolling over onto his side, he saw both Blair and Incacha walking towards him.

"Enqueri," Ellison's old friend smiled as he knelt down beside him, "I am very glad to see you."

Groaning, the Sentinel raised himself into a sitting position accepting, an arm up from Incacha. "Incacha? What's going on?" Looking beyond the shaman, he saw his partner. "Was I dreaming Chief, or should I be talking about getting you signed up with the Redskins?"

Blair laughed as he helped his friend stand. "No you weren't dreaming. But c'mon Jim, we've got to get out of here. I don't know how long Riley is going to be out of it." He cast a nervous glance behind him. "Incacha, can you help us?"

Jim turned his gaze on the older man. "You're really here, aren't you?" His expression going from puzzlement to delight as he felt the Chopec's fingers wrap around his arm.

"No, Enqueri, it is you who are here," he laughed. "But Blair is right, we must hurry. Can you walk?"

"With your help, I think I can. I just feel a little dizzy." Jim draped an arm around Incacha's shoulders. Looking down at the man supporting him on the other side, he smiled. "Guess you're going to have to tell me what's going on later, Chief. Nothing seems to be making any sense." He took in the jungle around him. "We're back in Peru?"

"It'll all make sense later, big guy. Just lean on me and let's get out of here," Blair urged.

Ellison's first few steps were a little wobbly, but he became more surefooted and picked up his pace with each new step. "I think I can manage without leaning on you two." He checked back in the direction they had just come from. "Maybe we can take a small break? I don't see or hear Riley." He sat heavily at the base of a palm tree, feeling the throb of fatigue pulsing through every part of his body.

Sandburg looked questioningly at Incacha. "I don't know if that's such a good idea. What do you think?"

"If you can keep going Enqueri, I think we should make our way to the waterfall as quickly as possible."

"The waterfall?" Ellison raised an eyebrow at his partner.

"Don't ask me," Blair shrugged. "Incacha is the native around here." He grinned suddenly and turned to the shaman. "If you'll excuse a really bad pun."

"Perhaps this time, jovencito," the Chopec elder smiled fondly. "You will see the significance of the waterfall when we get there. Patience Sentinel. Have you forgotten everything I taught you?"

With a weary sigh Jim forced himself to stand. "Not everything, Incacha, let's..."

A mournful wail echoed through the jungle, silencing the chatter of the birds overhead. Dylan Riley's voice carried across the quiet, sounding almost childlike in it's desperation.

"Sandburg, where are you? Don't leave me here!"

Blair's blood chilled in his veins. He had foolishly thought it was over. But how could it be? Riley would always be a threat to his friend if things weren't settled. Releasing Jim's arm, he knew what he had to do. He had to go back.

As if reading his mind, Jim grabbed his arm. His voice was a low growl. "Don't even think about it Sandburg. You can't go back there."

"You don't understand, Jim," he tried to explain. "If I don't, then this'll never be over. You and Incacha keep going. I'll catch up to you. I promise."

"Then I'm going with you. You can't face him alone," the Sentinel argued, his body language underscoring his decision.

"Incacha, talk to him. Tell him he has to go."

"Your friend is right, Enqueri, you should not be here," Incacha said quietly. "You were not meant to be here. You will come with me." He pulled the Sentinel away. Away from Blair.

A quiet moan and a sharp intake of breath brought Simon to his detective's side. He had been standing watch for almost an hour. Sitting in the chair next to the bed, he laid a hand on his friend's arm waiting for him to come fully awake. He didn't have long to wait as Ellison's eyes finally opened.

"Hi Jim, how do you feel?"

"Good...headache's gone," he sighed. "I passed out didn't I?"

"You certainly did," Banks grinned. "Gave me a good scare."

"Sorry about that, Simon. I had such a strange dream." He closed his eyes as he remembered it. "I was back in Peru, I think, fighting Dylan Riley. Then out of nowhere, Blair shows up. Good thing too, because it wasn't a fight I was winning." He opened his eyes and looked around the room. "Where's Sandburg?" He sat up. "Why isn't he here?"

Banks tried to push the man back down. "Just lie still, Jim. He's outside with Alejandro." Simon hoped that a half truth would be enough to calm his friend.

The detective pushed at his captain's hands and started to get up. "It wasn't a dream, was it? That was what he was planning to do all along." He swung his legs off the bed. "That's why Alejandro is here." He stood up too fast and was forced to fight a wave of dizziness. "You knew what he planned to do, Simon. And you let him?"

"How could I stop him?" Banks asked, praying that his friend would understand. "I didn't really know what was going on until the drive up here. Alejandro told me then," he said. "But everything must have gone okay. You're here."

"He didn't come back with me, Simon." Ellison paled as he thought about his Guide facing the other sentinel alone. "He went back to talk to Riley." He extended his hearing and found his partner. His breathing sounding strained, painful. His heart was beating furiously in his chest.

"He's down by the river with Alejandro and Tony," Banks finally admitted. "They've been there for almost an hour."

Tony and Alejandro sat on either side of Blair, who was now curled up on his side. His face was drenched with sweat and his eyes were squeezed shut against the pain. Neither one seemed to be doing anything to help the younger man, sending the Sentinel into a near rage.

Dropping down next to his friend, Jim reached out to him to establish some contact. Blair had to know he was there. But Alejandro's frantic shout stopped him.

"No! Do not touch him," he commanded. It was the first time Ellison had heard the old man raise his voice. It carried more strength than he thought it ever could. "You do not know what he is doing. To break his concentration now could be fatal." His voice softened as he squeezed the Sentinel's shoulder sympathetically. "Let him finish what he set out to do."

"What do you want from me?" Blair knelt, gasping, at Riley's feet. The Sentinel had lured him to the centre of the wheel, begging him for his help. He had played on the anthropologist's guilt and used it against him. The first blow had caught Sandburg completely off guard. His breath had been painfully expelled when Riley's fist connected with his midriff.

"Please Dylan," the words came out in a wheeze. "I can help you."

Riley went to his knees and swiftly took the knife from Blair's belt. "I don't think so, Sandburg. I don't want your help. I want my life back."

"You can't just take someone else's life!" Blair pleaded with him, trying to reason with the other man, knowing how futile it was. He wanted to see past the rage to who this Sentinel might have once been. "Nothing will change."

"You're wrong. Everything will change," Riley nearly shouted out the protest. "I'll be alive again. I won't be here, alone."

Blair looked up into the enraged face of the man he had killed and knew that he had failed. Riley would kill him, leaving Jim unprotected. He couldn't let that happen. He had to fight back for as long as he could and his hand shot up, stopping the knife.

"You really think you can beat me, Blair?" Riley's smile twisted into a sneer as he applied more pressure to the knife's downward motion. "I told you before, you're weak. You should have stayed out of this. I would have let you be my Guide. I made you that offer once before. You turned me down."

"Why are you alone, Dylan? What happened to him?" Sandburg felt some of the pressure ease off the knife, the questions had caught the Sentinel off guard.

"He died. I told you that," the words were angrily spat out. "He gave me some crazy story about how he was going to help me. He was the only one who didn't think I was crazy." Riley's voice softened as he continued. "Matthew made me trust him and then he died." The hand with the knife eased up a little more and was finally pulled away.

"But you're still alone. You've shut him out. Why?"

"What are you talking about?" The tip of the knife came up and dug into Blair's chin. "I haven't shut him out. He died! Left me!"

Sandburg grabbed Riley's wrist trying to stop the blade from digging in any deeper. "I mean here, why isn't he here?" Blair pressed on harder. "Do you still hate him that much?" Maybe Riley's guide, Matthew, was the key. Everything the man said pointed to his anger at being abandoned. If he could convince the Sentinel to reach out...

"I never hated him," Dylan's answer was almost a roar. The hand holding the knife suddenly formed into a fist that slammed Sandburg to the ground and onto his back. "You think I can just make a wish and he's going to magically appear?" His laugh was bitter. "Do you know how many times I made that wish after he died?"

"He couldn't reach you before, but he can now." Blair hoped that was true. There was so much he didn't know. But what he was saying felt right. "Taking over Jim's life isn't going to get you what you want. You told me that you wanted the brotherhood and trust that Jim had. You're not going to get it. You'll be just as alone." He prayed he was getting through. "He'll hear you. You've got to try."

"Shut up," Riley screamed at him. "I don't want to hear it anymore!"

Blair watched as Riley's eyes became cold and flat. He had lost. He felt the Sentinel's other hand close around his throat, choking him. He could face his own death if it didn't come with the knowledge that his best friend would pay for his failure. He could see the twisted justice of his life being ended by the man he had killed, but not Jim's. Riley didn't deserve Jim's life.

"Nothing else to say, Sandburg?" The hand around Blair's throat squeezed harder. "Then let's make this goodbye."

Blair felt his grip falter on the arm that held the knife as his oxygen starved brain began to shut down. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. But with morbid fascination he watched the knife's descent until he could watch no longer. He closed his eyes and waited for the end.

"Dylan, stop!" A voice Blair didn't recognize shouted from overhead. He opened his eyes to see a stranger kneeling opposite Riley, his hand holding the Sentinel's steady. Blair saw Dylan's eyes grow wide and watched as Riley allowed the older man to gently remove the knife from his grasp. He quickly moved from between the two men.

The fury that had consumed Dylan Riley seemed to disappear at the other man's touch. "Matthew?" The name was spoken with such tenderness that Blair wasn't certain that it had come from the same man who had tried to choke the life out of him. The transformation was startling. "Matthew!" Riley shouted the name and threw himself into the other man's open arms.

Matthew gathered the Sentinel into a protective hold, his face a mask of sadness. "I'm sorry, Dylan. I'm so sorry," he gently soothed. "But we're together now. It should have never been any other way." The older man's eyes rose to meet Blair's and he smiled. "I heard him call me. Finally. Thank you."

Blair could only nod, he was speechless and exhausted. He could easily sleep for a year. He felt a gentle touch at his shoulder and Incacha reached down a hand to help him to his feet. "You did well jovencito. Sentinel and Guide are again one." The Chopec rested a hand on the younger man's shoulder and felt him tremble with fatigue. "It is time for you to go home, Blair. Enqueri is waiting."

Rolling over onto his back, Blair slowly opened his eyes. The trees and blue sky came into focus and he knew he was home. Sighing, he laid an arm across his eyes and smiled. The weight that had almost crushed him was finally gone. Riley and his guide were once again reunited. But the whole ordeal had drained him. Alejandro had once told him that a shaman's strength came from nature around him and he tried to draw on that energy. He could almost feel the earth pulsing below him. The soft whisper of wind in the leaves overhead and the warmth of the sun brought him closer to sleep and to the healing of mind and body. He could lay there forever. And maybe it was the bond between Sentinel and Guide or the bond of friendship, but Blair knew, without looking, that Jim was there watching over him.

"Chief?"

Slowly dragging his arm from his eyes, he looked up into his friend's worried face. "We're okay, Jim." Delivering even those few words took more energy than he had. "Just wanna sleep for a while." He saw his partner move to help him up. "No, here's fine. Here's just..." He was asleep before he could finish the sentence.

Simon crouched down next to Ellison. "I'll go get him a blanket, it's going to be cooling off soon." He smiled at the sleeping figure. "He look's like he's going to be out for a while."

"Thanks Simon." Jim looked up, surprised to see that Alejandro and Tony had gone. He hadn't heard them leave.

"Tony took Alejandro back to the cabin to rest. This took a lot out of the old man," Simon said softly. "He was really afraid for the kid. He doesn't know Sandburg like we do." Ellison looked at him questioningly, so Simon added, "I don't think that there's anything that kid can't do if he puts his mind to it." He stood up. "Do you want me to bring you anything back with the blanket?"

The Sentinel shook his head. "I've got everything I need right here, Simon."

The sun had settled a little lower on the horizon and the mountain air began to cool, driving off the humidity of the afternoon. Jim Ellison sat, thinking, at the water's edge as his friend slept. The last two weeks had shaken him more than the emergence of his heightened senses. In his varied careers he had been forced to face many different enemies. But this, this was beyond anything he had ever been trained for. To be attacked from the inside by an enemy he couldn't see or touch. An enemy that would rob him of his life in the worst way he could imagine. He took a deep breath and tried to quiet the nerves that were still too raw. He closed his eyes, looking for the release that Blair had taught him. He laughed softly to himself, meditation was definitely not his strong suit. He needed the kid, awake, to get to that state.

He looked down at his guide and gently pulled out a leaf that had become entangled in the long brown hair. Blair had been in such a deep sleep for such a long time that the Sentinel couldn't help but wonder what had gone on in his fight with Riley. The whole idea still made him shudder. Sandburg had gone to face Riley alone in a place that he could never reach on his own. Incacha had told him, during his time in Peru, that a shaman was at home in two worlds but somehow that had never translated in his mind to mean his friend. Blair was...Blair. Incacha had seemed almost otherworldly, always so solemn and serious. It had been easy for Jim to accept the man as a shaman. But Blair?

Ellison sighed and shook his head. "Who are you, kid?" He reached for the blanket and draped it over his partner.

A throaty purr sounded from behind Jim as the panther slinked around him. The detective held his breath and waited. The last time he had come face to face with the animal it had snarled at him, warning him away from Sandburg. The big cat took a step closer to the two men and the purring sound increased a decibel or two, allowing Ellison to relax. He tentatively held out a hand to it and smiled as it rubbed its large head against his palm.

"Back in your good books again, am I?" he asked.

"You were never out of them, big guy," Blair grinned as he slowly came awake, stretching under the blanket. "How you feelin'?"

"I was talking to the..." Ellison turned to where the cat had been and looked at empty space, "...panther."

Crawling out from underneath the blanket, Sandburg sat next to his friend, shivering slightly in the mountain air. "You didn't answer my question. How are you feeling?" His last real memory was of the man lying unconscious in the cabin. "Thanks." He wrapped the blanket Jim had put around his shoulders a little tighter.

"Fine, like myself again." He studied his partner's face, wondering if he would see a change there. It was going to take him some time to really accept the idea of Sandburg being a shaman.

"You're staring, man," Blair said through teeth that were starting to chatter. "No one ever tell you that was rude?" His smile faded when Jim didn't rise to the bait. "Are you sure you feel okay? You're not gonna zone on me, are you?"

"What did you think you were doing?" Jim asked quietly.

"I thought I was helping you." Sighing, the anthropologist rubbed at tired eyes. "I was trying to make things right. For you and for me. Riley had to be stopped and I didn't want to walk around with the guilt anymore." He huddled deeper into the blanket, trying to block out some of the chill. "It was the only way I knew how. I had to try."

"Simon told me that what you did was dangerous. I don't want you taking those kinds of risks because of me."

"It's no different than the risks you take. And please don't tell me it's because you're a cop. This has nothing to do with being a cop. I'll always do whatever it takes, Jim, just like you. That's why I'm here. To watch your Sentinel back, remember?" He smiled, knowing his friend could see it in the deepening darkness. "Partners?" Blair heard the detective take a deep breath and then let it out slowly.

"Always, Sandburg," Ellison quietly chuckled as he ruffled the younger man's hair. "But let's try to do it on a plane where I can find you?"

"I'll try to remember that, Jim," Blair promised, yawning.

"Let's go, get you to a nice soft bed," Jim said as he stood and reached down to help his friend to his feet. Sandburg leaned heavily against him, still tired and sore. "I don't think I said thank you, Chief." He put an arm around Blair's back to steady him and help him up the slope to the cabin.

"Some things don't have to be said out loud to be heard," came the soft reply. "But you're welcome, Jim."

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