Regression
Chapter One
Rating: NC 17
Type: Pre-slash Chapters 1-3 Slash-4-5
Warnings: m/m, discipline
Category: Historical
Date: March 3rd, 2001
Fandom: Sentinel J/B
Beta: Brenda....thank you!
The hard slamming of the front door brought Jim's head swiveling around
toward Sandburg. *House rule number nine: Thou shall not slam doors:* ran
through his mind.
"Jim! You won't believe what I'm going to do!" Blair tossed his backpack on
the floor and more or less jumped into Jim's lap.
"I believe that. Hey, easy on the family jewels, Sandburg!" Jim repositioned
Blair, then looked up into excited blue eyes.
"This is awesome! I'm going to have life regression! I can't wait, do you
want to come and watch?"
"Wait a minute Darwin, what's life regression? It sounds painful." Jim
cuddled his guide just a tad closer to his body. "Is this anything like
learning to control your temper?"
A deep chuckle sounded in his ear. "No, you're so out of it. Life regression
is when you're put under hypnosis and then the therapist takes you back
through past lives. As a matter of fact, I just saw it done to someone we
both know well." Quirking his eyebrows suggestively, he leered at his
partner. "Margaret."
"Margaret? No way, she's to down to earth for that bullshit." Seeing the blue
eyes in front of him grow round with the truth of it, he murmured, "well, she
should be. You," poking his finger in Blair's chest, " are not going to do
it. That's it."
Standing up abruptly, he felt Sandburg slide off his lap onto the floor.
"Oh, yes I am. Listen! Jim, this is so fantastic. Margaret went all the way
back to 1241! She was a scullery maid that worked in a castle. She told us
all about it, it was so cool!"
Jim felt his stomach dropping. The Sandburg Zone again. "Look Chief, we have
enough creepy things happening in our life without trying to find more."
Hoping against hope, he grinned at his guide. Sighing, he turned at the look
of determination on Sandburg's face. It was apparent that idea wasn't going
to work.
"Jim, I was hoping you'd be more open to this, but hey man, I don't need you
there to hold my hand. I'm doing it tomorrow." Blair walked into the bedroom
and slammed the door.
"Fuck off, Jim." Blair murmured under his breath.
"Blair, you get back in here right now! I mean it Sandburg!"
Blair picked up a pillow on the bed and threw it at the door. Slowly he
opened the door to find Jim standing with a deep scowl on his face.
"I'm sorry."
"Here. Now." Jim pointed to a spot in front of him, and watched his lover
move hesitantly toward him. "You are not having a past life experience. Do
you understand me, Blair Jacob Sandburg?"
"But Jim...."the words barely left his mouth when he felt himself hauled over
his Sentinel's knees. A hard swat to his bottom was followed by eight more.
"Please....stop.....Okay, I won't." Blair started sobbing.
"I know you won't and don't' you ever talk to me like that again." Another
three swats warmed Blair's bottom, before he was dumped on the floor. "Go to
bed." The quiet voice moved him quickly to his room. He knew better than to
argue with Jim when the Sentinel was in protective mode. He was lucky to be
let off so lightly.
"Blair, just take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Good. Now watch the
pendulum swing back and forth. That's it. You're relaxing and traveling
backwards in your life. Okay, you're now twenty -six and you're here at
Rainier. Something exciting is happening to you. Think back, what is it?"
A sudden knock on the door had the doctor's assistant jumping up to answer
it. She placed a finger on her lips for Jim to remain quiet. The doctor
motioned for him to take a seat. Jim watched Blair as he was put through the
paces of a hypnotic trance. Sighing, he wondered how much longer he would be
able to sit through this silliness. When he got his little boy home, he
wouldn't be able to sit for a week.
Blair smiled, " I found the Holy Grail." At the amused looks around the room
the doctor continued.
"I see. Well, that is some accomplishment. Why don't you tell us about it."
Blair frowned, " I'm not supposed to talk about it. But he's one good-looking
hunk." The room broke out in snickers as all faces turned to Jim's blushing
face.
"All right, I think that's enough. You're traveling backward again; your
fifth birthday party's going strong. Tell us about it. " A small high
childish voice broke from Blair.
"I didn't have a birthday party. Naomi says that only babies need parties.
We're going to Las Vegas instead. I hope Uncle Joey's there. He's so much
fun, he'll take me to the racetrack."
"That must be fun. Are the horses racing?" The doctor looked around the group
of smiling people.
"Yeah, but...we're in this room and it's got all these words written on a
board. I asked Uncle Joey but he said they were...umm, bookings. I couldn't
see the books but I wanted to read one. Do you know I can read almost any
book? I'm a child prodigy, Naomi says so."
"Okaaay. You're going back in time now Blair, back to birth." Blair curled up
in the chair, his thumb sticking in his mouth. "That's right. On back we go,
back into the womb...you're getting smaller an smaller, just a tiny seed. Now
you're traveling all the way back, back before you were conceived, back into
your past lives. Let the clouds part and see your past life, Blair. Look for
it... it's there."
The group leaned forward as Blair's blank expression started to change. Jim
struggled hard not to interfere. A look of wonder filled Blair's face. Then a
strong word broke from his mouth.
"Tell us, Blair. Where are you, what are you doing?" Blair pulled himself
straight in the chair and started talking. Blair spoke in a clipped British
accent to someone...not anyone in the room.
"I don't give a damn what my father said to you Banks, but I will ride that
mare."
The young man strode down the dirt path toward the stables. Today was the day
he was going to ride Storm. Looking around, he noticed that all the servants
were watching him. He sighed; he could never go anywhere or do anything
without someone interfering. Wealth was his father's end all and be all. This
time he wasn't going to let his father stop him from doing something he
wanted.
The stable doors were standing open. "Joel, saddle Storm for me." Richard
unfurled the saddle blanket, shaking it out. Handing it to the servant, he
then picked up the halter and bridle.
"Master Richard, I can't do this. Your father sent down strict orders you are
not to ride that horse. He'll whip me good if I disobey him."
The old man cringed away from the fire in the young man's eyes. Richard
tossed the blanket onto the horse's back.
"Go on. Get out of here. I don't want you to get in trouble. But, I am riding
this horse."
When he finished saddling up the mare, Richard led her out of the stall.
Patting the mare's neck, he whispered into her ear.
"You better not toss me, or I'll make sure there will be no oats for you
later." Scratching behind her ear, he mounted the quiet horse.
"See, Joel, she's fine." Nudging the mare's sides with his heels, he rode
off toward the back meadow. He heard the cry of the old man:
"Lordy, Master Richard, your father is going to beat you black and blue."
Richard chuckled.
* I bet that's right, but I'm eighteen and I'll do as I'm damn well please. *
Richard's father sat behind a large desk in his library. He was interviewing
yet another candidate to be his son's tutor. He liked what he saw in this
man.
Tall, strong, intelligent. He read on the man's resume, the ex-Army captain
had been with Lord Nelson for three years teaching his son lessons and riding
skills. He was surprisingly cultured for an American. Now that Nelson's son
had left for his grand tour, James Ellison was in need of a new position.
"So, Mr. Ellison, Jarod Nelson has grown up and you're looking for a new
student. What led you to me?"
"Lord Nelson said he met your son at his home last year, he thought I'd enjoy
working with him. I hear that he's very gifted in knowledge."
"Oh, Richard's smart all right. Much to smart for his own good, if you ask
me. He ran circles around his last tutor."
"Well, Sir, I'd be more comfortable as his companion at this stage of his
life. He's really to old to need a tutor and if he's as smart as they say, he
doesn't need one. But... I can help guide him in the direction you think he
should go."
"I see. More of a mentor figure. That should work out. Richard is a touch
headstrong, if you catch my meaning. My wife, Naomi, always spoiled the boy.
He should be improving his skills as a marksman during the day and at the
clubs in London seeking the affections of the young ladies at night." Lord
Burton smiled to himself, thinking about his own youth. "Instead, here he
sits, his head in a book, riding around the estate for his only exercise."
"Has your wife passed away, sir?"
"Oh no. Nothing that considerate, she deserted the boy and me for another
man. I don't discuss that part of my life."
Lord Burton looked out the window across the lawn of his home. Frowning, he
saw old Joel running toward the house.
"Something must be wrong, I haven't seen the old man run like that in a long
time." Hearing a commotion outside the room, Lord Burton turned toward the
door as a tap sounded on the wood paneling.
"Enter."
The old man wheezed as he entered the library. "I'm sorry to disturb you sir,
but young Master Richard has taken Storm out for a ride."
"Damn that boy! I told him not to touch that horse! That mare is worth to
much money to be ridden."
The old man drew back in fright from the look on Lord Burton's face.
"Get my horse saddled immediately. I'm going after him." Striding from the
room, he stopped at the door to grab his horsewhip. "I'll give Richard
something to think about."
"Sir, let me go after young Richard. I'm sure I can control him." James found
the words escaping from his lips. The thought of this man beating his son in
a rage was enough to turn his blood cold. "I'll discipline him."
Lord Burton paused, as if deciding how far to trust the man before him.
"Okay. But take this," Lord Burton thrust the whip into his hands. "If he
gives you any trouble, use it. I want him back here in my office within the
hour." Burton strode back into the library slamming the door. James gently
placed a hand on the old man's back.
"Can you tell me which direction young Master Richard has taken?"
"Off toward the back meadow. I...I didn't want to come here, but if something
had happened to him, Lord Burton would have killed me sure." The fear of Lord
Burton sounded in the old man's voice.
"Don't worry, everything will be all right." James assured the stable hand.
Taking the whip with him, he went out to his horse. Mounting quickly, he
noted the direction in which the old man pointed to find his new student.
Richard was having fun, the horse was marvelous. She had not a mean bone in
her body, but she habitually kicked out behind her. He put the horse through
her paces, not letting up, showing her who was master. A sound in the
distance drew his attention; a rider was fast approaching. It was a man, and
one who did not resemble Richard's father in the slightest. Probably a
servant sent to haul him back home. Grinning, he let Storm have her head, and
burst into a fast gallop. *Catch me,* he thought. The horse at full gallop
was hard to control, but he was confident he would be all right.
A large hedge ran around the end of the property. Richard rode straight
toward it, knowing if he jumped it that the servant would never follow him.
Rising in the saddle, the horse leapt, flying through the air, with room to
spare. Pulling his horse up on the other side of the bush, he waited to hear
a pleading voice asking him to return.
James fearfully watched the young man sail over the hedge. One fatal move and
the horse and rider would have ended up tangled in the hedge thorns. Taking a
deep breath he urged his horse faster, pushing him to make the jump. The
horse gathered speed, raising his haunches at the critical moment. Up and
away they flew over the hedge. Letting out his breath, James looked for the
young man, finding him sitting sedately watching him about twenty feet away.
"I'm impressed. I didn't think you'd jump it."
"Really. I guess you know why I'm here."
"Oh, definitely. But who are you? You're not one of my Father's staff."
"No, I'm your new companion. Your Father requests your company back in the
library of your home."
Richard stared at the man before him, judging him on his intentions. They
stared at each other, until Richard dropped his eyes. Turing his horse he
trotted over toward the man.
"I only wanted to take her for a run. My Father never listens to me when I
tell him I'm a superb horseman."
"Yes, but this isn't the way to prove it, is it?" Silence met this remark.
"I'm James Ellison. I was Jarod Nelson's tutor for three years."
Richard nodded towards the whip that Jim held. "Why do you have my Father's
horse whip?" he asked tremulously.
Jim looked down at the whip; belatedly realizing he'd been holding it the
entire time.
"Your father handed it to me to beat you, if you didn't return with me. Are
you ready to go home?"
"I wanted to see if I could ride the mare and I can. So, I'll be glad to
return home."
James studied the young man before him. Masses of glossy auburn
curls, deep blue eyes, and lips so full they would settle into a pout in a
moment's notice. Very pretty indeed. Maybe that's why his father kept so
tight a rein on him. With both men and women wanting to get their
hands on this young man, it would be difficult to keep him pure for long.