Final Acts

Warnings: DEATH STORY, minor spoilers for TSbyBS

Inspirations: I have no idea where this came from.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Sentinel. It belongs to Pet Fly, and a bunch of other people.

The strains of “Amazing Grace” had echoed across the cemetery as James Ellison, Sentinel of the Great City
of Cascade, was laid to rest on a clear October morning. It had been a little over a month since Blair
Sandburg, his partner, best friend and Guide, was shot and killed while trying to protect a hostage during a
bank robbery gone wrong. Many of those attending had not been surprised when they heard the news that Jim
had died in sleep two days earlier; they were only surprised by the fact that he had stayed as long as he
had after Blair’s death.

Simon and the rest of Major Crimes had watched Jim carefully. They watched as Jim called Naomi and told
her the news. They watched as he made the arrangements for Blair’s funeral. They watched as his packed away
Blair’s things. They watched as the artifacts were given to the Rainer museum, as Blair’s clothes donated
to Goodwill, and as he gave a few personal items to Blair’s friends as mementos of the bright spirit that
had touched their lives for so short a time. They watched as Jim Ellison took care of everything with a
quite strength and determination. They watched in the month that followed as Jim slowly faded away. The
doctor’s never could give a definite cause of death; but everyone who had known the pair knew that when
Blair had died that part of Jim had died with him.

The package was delivered to Simon Banks two days later. Inside the heavy envelope was a bound copy of
Sandburg’s dissertation, a CD-ROM, a key to a safe deposit box, and a letter-instructing Simon to have
Blair’s dissertation published. Jim had written that he had only stayed as long as he had because he had
wanted to make sure that Blair’s name and reputation were cleared once and for all.

Simon had opened the bound volume and read the paragraph that Jim had added describing Blair’s
sacrifice for him, the value of his friendship and his role as Jim’s Guide. Simon was in tears as he read
Jim’s final goodbye to his friends and family and his acknowledgement of everything Blair had done for him.

After three year’s effort and hard work Blair Sandburg’s dissertation was published. It had taken a
lot of hard work but Blair’s name had finally been cleared. Simon with the help of the Major Crime’s
detectives had come forward to tell their stories of seeing Jim in action. Blair’s meticulous notes and
tapes, which had been inside the safe deposit box, were analyzed and authenticated. However, it was the
discovery of two new sentinels and guides had proven the validity of Blair’s research.

The day Simon got the news he went to the cemetery to Jim and Blair’s graves to tell them the news. He sat
at their graves for a long time, just talking about everything that had happened. When he finally rose to
leave he saw a black panther and a silver gray wolf watching from beneath a near by grove of trees. Simon
smiled as the pair turned and disappeared into the mist together.