"Woo-ee! This is good chili, Blair. Tastes a lot like Josiah's," Buck complimented, having already wolfed down half the bowl JD had handed him.

"It should. It's my recipe," Josiah said, patting Blair on the back.

"With a few modifications. I wouldn't eat that so fast, Buck."

"Why not? Oh, Jesus H Christ that's hot! Oh God! Hand me a beer. Someone hand me a beer!" Buck's chest heaved like a bellows pump as he sucked in deep gasps of air, trying to cool the sudden inferno in his mouth. JD quickly handed him his beer, which Buck drained in one gulp before grabbing Chris and Nathan's beers. Blair handed him a glass of water and some bread.

"Some of the herbs I use have a latent potency. As long as you eat slowly you're fine."

"What's wrong with Bucklin?" Vin asked, as he and Jim came back inside.

"I'd say he just found out the hard way not to eat Sandburg's chili too fast," Jim smirked, leaning against the pillar by the balcony door.

"Why dontcha warn a guy next time?" Buck grouched once the burning sensation had eased a little.

"Brother Buck, if you don't know better than to eat unknown chili slowly I'd say it's the good Lord's way of reminding you." Josiah grinned evilly.

"Quit complaining, Buck, it's not like it'll kill you. 'Sides, weren't you the one who poured a whole bottle of Tabasco sauce on top of Inez's super hot buffalo wings last week?" Nathan raised an eyebrow at the ladies man.

"Actually, that was me, Nate," Vin smiled sheepishly, taking the bowl JD handed him. "Thanks, kid. Buck took some before I put the sauce on."

"Runt, here likes his chili real hot. Think yours will do it, Chief?" Jim asked, stirring up the bowl JD gave him.

"It should. If not, I have this...Jim, NO!" Blair looked over in time to realize Jim had the wrong bowl, but not to stop him from putting the spicy food in his mouth. The others looked up in surprise at his shout of warning, watching as he dropped his own bowl in his rush to get to Jim.

Expecting the mild version that Blair usually made for him, Jim opened up his sense of taste and smell just as he took a bite. Before he could even think to spit it out his senses spiraled out of control and he was lost. Everything disappeared into the raging inferno that surrounded him. The flames used up the precious air making him gasp for breath. Something rasped against his skin, burning, making him try to pull back, but it held tight until a new sensation was felt. It was a steady thumping beneath his fingertips. Then a familiar, soothing voice cut through the inferno, slowly pushing it back.

The moment Jim's body went ridged and he began gasping for air Vin was on his feet. "Captain?"

"Sandy?"

"Good Lord, he's choking."

"What the hell? Nathan?" Chris was on his feet in an instant, turning to Nathan, who was already pushing past him.

"He's having an allergic reaction. Someone call 911. Let me help him, Blair."

Blair ignored the others, pushing away Nathan's hands, he hissed, "Don't touch him, you'll make it worse. We don't need an ambulance, Simon."

Simon didn't need further explanation and took the phone from JD. He watched in concern as Blair went to work. "Give them room, guys. Blair knows what he's doing."

"But..." Nathan started to protest, stopping when Simon clamped a hand on his shoulder.

"This isn't something medicine can fix."

"What's going on, Buck? Why won't they let Nathan help?" JD edged closer to his 'big brother'.

"Don't know, JD. But this guy better know what he's doing or else."

Blair paid little attention to them, focusing on Jim instead, although he'd heard Buck's threat. He'd deal with it later. For now he continued to speak in low, soothing tones to his Sentinel. "Come on, Jim; come back to me. You're giving everyone a scare here. Just listen to my voice, feel my heartbeat." He placed Jim's hand over his heart and held it there. "You know the drill, big guy. Just dial it down. One click at a time until it's gone. One step at a time. Follow my voice, Jim; follow it back. That's it. Nice, easy breaths. You're almost there. That's it."

Coming out of the zone, he slumped forward into Blair's arms. He was still gasping a little, but it wasn't the panicked hyperventilating from before. As he got his breath back, he asked, "Chief?"

"You zoned, man. Big time. Here, drink this," He handed Jim a glass of milk and a piece of bread. "The bowls of chili got switched. How many times have I told you to smell your food before you eat it? If we'd been in a restaurant..."

"I know, Chief. I got it. Always smell food first. Don't think I'll forget it."

"Damn well better not. You doing better?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just got a headache now, and a slight burning sensation in my mouth. Damn, you make hot chili."

"Yeah, well, now you know why I give you the mild version."

"Would someone care to explain just what in hell is goin' on here?" Buck demanded, tired of being ignored. Blair was on his feet and in Buck's face before he could blink.

"How dare you accuse me of not knowing how to protect my Sentinel!"

Buck gulped certain he'd just heard the sound of a wolf snarling. He held up his hands in defeat, "I'm sorry. I just..."

"He didn't mean anything by it, Blair," Josiah said soothingly, when Buck seemed at a loss for words. "He didn't know what was happening and was concerned."

"What was happening, Josiah? Blair?" Chris asked, glaring at all of them, waiting for an answer.

Blair seemed to deflate and he sank down on to the couch next to Jim. Leaning his head back, he covered his face with his hands, wishing the whole nightmare would go away. Jim rubbed a tired hand over his face, might as well get it over with. "Chief?"

"Aw hell, man. In for a penny in for a pound." Jim shook his head at Blair's muffled words.

"This is to go no farther than here. Only a few people know the truth and we'd like to keep it that way."

"Just what is the truth?" Pale green eyes met ice blue eyes in a challenging glare. Both were used to being in control and both would do whatever was necessary to protect their chosen families. Chris felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as he watched Jim's eyes shift. One moment they were normal pale blue human eyes, the next they were yellow cat’s eyes. He blinked and it was gone, making him wonder if he hadn't imagined it.

Jim rose to his feet, holding Chris' glare. "I am a Sentinel, and Blair is my Guide. The only lie that was told is when Blair declared his work fraudulent."

"Well, hell." Buck dropped down on to the second couch. Then he frowned in confusion,

"What exactly is a Sentinel? And a Guide?"

"Chief? Maybe you should explain this?"

"It'll probably be easier to show them. Smell and hearing would probably be easiest."

"All right," Jim said with a shrug. He sniffed lightly, testing the air, before extending his sense of smell a little farther and sneezed. "Well, first Buck is wearing way too much Brute cologne. Larabee is wearing Aspen, and Ezra has on Tommy for Men. He also uses an herbal scented shampoo, kind of like yours, Chief, only his has an underlying scent of vanilla while yours is ginger. JD has two sticks of spearmint chewing gum, a breath mint, and a chocolate bar in his pocket. His heart rate just increased as well. Is that enough?"

"I'm still not sure I understand," Chris said.

"Jim has enhanced senses," Blair spoke up, "beyond the range of normal people's. He's a genetic throwback if you will. In primitive cultures tribes had a guardian, a Sentinel, to watch over them. He would warn of impending attack, or track the game needed for the tribe's survival."

"What about you?" Nathan asked. "He called you his Guide."

"Every Sentinel has a Guide, someone to watch their back and to prevent them from zoning. That's what happened earlier. Jim zoned on the taste of the chili because it was far too spicy for his enhanced senses to handle. I suspect Vin got the bowl Jim was supposed to get. I provide an anchor for him to focus on when he using his senses to prevent a zone out."

"So you're kind of like Superman?" JD asked, his eyes wide and his fingers nervously twisting in his shirt, unsure if he should be awed or frightened.

"I'm most definitely not Superman, kid. I'm all too aware of my faults; and enhanced senses don't mean squat when you can't protect the ones you care about."

"I think we can all understand that feeling, Brothers," Josiah spoke quietly; looking in turn at the six men he called family. "I also think, with the evening's excitement, it is perhaps time we took our leave. We do still have to attend the conference tomorrow and the hour has grown late. Why don't we all meet for breakfast in the morning at the hotel?"

"I'd say that sounds like a good idea, Josiah," Simon answered for Jim and Blair. The others silently nodded and collected their coats. No one spoke, unsure of what to say. Josiah and Blair hugged, while Jim and Vin clasped forearms. Then Vin gave him a cocky salute making Jim shake his head and grin. Everyone shook hands, although Megan surprised everyone by kissing Ezra on the cheek. He blushed a little and mumbled, "Good night, my dear."

Simon closed the door behind the last of the seven departing men and turned to face Jim and Blair, who had resumed their seats on the couch. Megan glanced at Simon from the kitchen where she was putting dishes in the sink. With a nod and a slight tilt of his head Simon indicated she should follow him into the living room area. Simon cleared a space on the coffee table to sit on, knowing Jim wouldn't be happy when he realized it. Megan sat in the arm chair to the left of Simon. Neither man acknowledged their presence. Blair was studying the ceiling, while the floor had Jim's undivided attention.

"Are you two all right with this?" Simon asked after a moment of continued silence.

Jim glanced up, meeting his friend's gaze with a slight twist to his lips that might almost be considered a smile. "Yeah, Simon. We're okay. Just hadn't really planned on telling all of them."

Blair groaned, still looking at the ceiling, "I am so sorry, Jim. I never meant to just blurt it out like that. But when Buck insinuated I'd let anything happen to you I just..."

"It's okay, Chief. I understand. Besides this whole mess is really my fault. If I'd been paying attention to what I was eating it wouldn't have happened."

"But if I had..."

"Stop," Simon said sternly, cutting Blair off before he could come up with another way to blame himself. "It was an accident. Neither one of you are to blame or both of you are to blame. It's happened and that's that. Do you understand me?"

Both men nodded silently. Simon gave them a long look before rising to his feet. "We're gonna head out now. I'll see you at the conference tomorrow."

Jim and Blair followed them to the door. Megan gave a Blair a quick hug, and patted Jim's arm. "Everything will work out, boys. You'll see."

"Thanks, Megan," Blair said with a smile.

"I hope you're right, Connors," Jim closed the door behind them.

"Well, that was an interesting evening. Do you think we'll have anything to worry about?" Blair asked as he moved into the kitchen, heading for the sink. Jim followed, moving to put the items on the counter away.

"Vin trusts them, as does your friend Josiah. They seem like a decent group."

"Yeah, I thought so too. How did he take it when you told him?"

"When I told who what?"

"When you told Vin about your abilities while you were out on the balcony."

"How'd you know I told him?" Jim turned to look at the smaller man who had his back to him, his arms buried to the elbow in the sink.

Blair glanced over his shoulder at him, "When you said it was alright for me to tell Josiah, I just assumed you were going to talk with Vin about it if he brought it up. Vin didn't seem at all surprised by the whole thing when we told the others so I just assumed you had told him earlier."

With a shake of his head, Jim started drying the clean dishes, "More like he told me about it."

"Huh?"

"Apparently him and the Southerner skipped one of their seminars to go dig up your thesis and a transcript of the press conference from the web. Vin seemed okay with the whole thing. Actually I think he approved of what you did. Said you were doing what a Guide's supposed to. He also thinks I might have been using some of my abilities even while I was in the Rangers. Picking up on things before others did." Jim paused for a second, considering, then turned to look at Blair, "You might want to talk with the runt. See if he'll let you do some tests with him."

"You don't think..."

"I'm wondering. Back then his eyes were even better than mine and his hearing was almost as good. It's part of why he was a sniper, and he's sharp-shooting for Larabee now."

"I'll talk to him. See if I can't arrange something before they head back to Denver. If he is a Sentinel I wonder who his Guide is? If he's zoned before someone would have had to bring him out of it."

"Larabee maybe? They seemed pretty close."

"I'll talk to Vin about it. Any other dishes need cleaning?"

"No, this is it. Don't worry, Chief. I'll leave the vacuuming until tomorrow. Think it's time for some shut-eye."

"Sounds good to me, man."

"Everyone seemed to have a good time tonight."

"Yeah, they did. Megan seemed to really like the Southerner, Ezra."

"Hmm, they did get along pretty well, but there's nothing there."

"Huh? What does that mean? How do you know?"

Jim grinned, heading up to his room. At the top of the stairs he turned to look at his best friend and Guide, "No pheromones, Chief. No pheromones."

Part 9