The streets were barren, save for the odd shadow figure or two that chanced darting in front of Jim’s truck. He drove slowly, carefully, but all he desired was to be home. He passed the darkened alleys, the trash-ridden sidewalks, the deserted shells that were once thriving Cascade businesses. But all he could think about was Blair.

The flashing blue strobe atop the truck’s dashboard glared brightly in the dark surroundings. Less than a month earlier, it had become evident that municipal law enforcement entities were no longer needed, as martial law had been imposed. Then it was dropped, leaving all remaining citizens to fend for themselves. Instead, the pulsing light served one purpose only; protection for the man inside the vehicle.

Jim reached over and flipped on the combination radio/cassette/CD player that Blair had bought him. Blair had finally gotten his doctorate and, with his first paycheck, demanded to buy a new toy for Jim’s baby. Jim smiled now as the memory flooded his mind. His smile vanished, however, as the news broadcast filled the truck’s cab.

"Nereus, measuring almost one mile in diameter, and traveling at twelve miles per second is continuing its advance toward Earth. The asteroid, now 1,036,800 miles from the planet, is expected to impact with the Pacific Ocean tomorrow evening. All citizens should be on their way inland at this time. The National Aeronautic & Space Administration has extended the following damage projections: All land-masses within five hundred miles will be affected by a Tsunami, causing massive flooding throughout the coastal region. This flooding will destroy all structures so do not stay in your home. Interstates Five and Ninety are still open, at this time, but are becoming more crowded as impact draws closer. Please make your way quickly to safety. Do not wait. Please leave now." There was a pause in the broadcast, and then the recording began again. "Nereus, measuring almost one mile in diameter, and traveling…"

Turning the radio off, Jim sighed as he thought of the numerous asteroid/comet movies that had flooded the market a few years earlier. Those films haunted the citizens of Earth as they now understood how unrealistic the story lines had been. This time, there would be no shuttle to launch. This time, there would be no missile to fire. This time, the world, at least as they knew it, was going to end, and nobody could do anything to stop it. Realizing that their time left was getting shorter, Jim slammed the accelerator to the floorboard and sped toward the loft.

***

The loft, strewn with items varying from candleholders to computer disks, looked as if a storm had blown through, when in reality it was the calm that usually proceeded one. Blair, sitting on the floor amongst the debris, slowly placed some of the items inside a large cardboard box. Picking up a polished silver picture frame, he stared longingly at the image of his mother. Fingering the edge of the photo, he wished that he could hold her close to him one last time.

He knew the reasons why the wish was impossible to grant, but still he longed for her. He knew that she was in Tennessee, and that the government had banned any travel toward the coastline. He remembered clearly the last phone conversation that he had shared with Naomi, just a few nights earlier.

Naomi had been calm, as always; choosing to focus on the positive, instead of the negative events in their immediate future. She knew that although the damage would be catastrophic, it would also allow for a lower population and, therefore, less hunger, less need. The survivors of this disaster would come out stronger for it. Of course, she also thought that her only son and his lover would be two of those survivors.

Blair hadn’t had the heart to tell her that he and Jim would be staying in Cascade. She hadn’t seen the news broadcasts that announced that inland travel would be difficult, at best. She didn’t know that they had talked it over and had decided to stay in the only home the two of them had ever known together.

Instead, he had calmly talked to her, discussing events that they had shared during his lifetime. They had reminisced about everything, Blair secure in the fact that, at least this time, he didn’t have to worry about the size of the long-distance telephone bill. Finally, the late hour taking its toll on both of them, they had said their good-byes as if they would speak again very soon.

A single tear fell onto the glass that covered the photo as the loft’s door began to open. Looking up, Blair saw his love, Jim, entering their home. Wiping his eyes, he clutched the frame to his chest and tried to regain the control he had lost.

Jim, noting the distress of his lover, advanced slowly and sank down to the floor near Blair. Positioning his back against the front of the couch, Jim pulled Blair so that he was nestled in front of him, between Jim’s legs, his back against Jim’s chest. Jim wrapped his arms around Blair’s torso and embraced him, tightly. Pulling the photo from his partner’s grasp, he looked at the picture for a moment before setting it aside.

"Blair, Honey," he whispered into Blair’s ear. "I know this is hard…" He paused, not really sure what else to say. Nothing was going to solve this dilemma. The end result was carved in the damned rock that was hurtling toward them.

"I know," his lover muttered, his body shuddering slightly as the events of the last few weeks took their toll.

They sat in companionable silence, Jim rocking the smaller body he was wrapped around in a comforting back and forth motion. Finally, feeling Blair, he moved his right arm and picked up an object that sat nearby. Holding it in his hand, he marveled at the simplicity of it. Shaking the glass globe, he watched as the plastic snowflakes swirled around the small town below.

"Do you remember where we got this?" Jim asked as he moved the snow globe in front of Blair.

Blair looked up and smiled sweetly; reliving the memory. "Yeah," he cleared his throat, "of course. It was our trip to Mount Baker, two years ago. Just after we found out we loved each other."

"Yep," Jim added huskily. He nuzzled his partner’s neck as they both gazed at the falling snow, now drifting lazily onto the miniature village.

Blair turned his head and captured Jim’s lips with his own. Nibbling lightly, he gently removed the glass object from his lover’s hand and placed it on the floor beside them. Turning his body, he knelt and faced the sentinel, wrapping his arms around Jim’s neck and deepening the kiss.

Jim paused and pulled away slightly. "Is it going in the box?" he asked, pointing at the snow globe and then to the cardboard container to Blair’s left.

Blair again picked up the memento and gazed at it. Not taking his eyes from the winter scene, he asked, "Do you think they’ll understand its importance?"

Jim shook his head.

"Then I’d rather we kept it," Blair continued. "We have enough other things for the vault at Rainier. When they open that vault, the people should be able to understand the importance of the objects that were placed there."

Jim nodded and pulled his wallet from his right hip pocket. Pulling out the more personal items, he threw the leather bi-fold and badge into the box. Wrapping his arms around his guide once again, he asked when the messenger would be picking up the container.

"In the morning," Blair murmured into the older man’s chest.

"Then we should get to sleep." Jim released Blair, rose, and pulled his lover up to stand beside him. Together they taped and secured the cardboard package and then advanced toward the staircase.

"I don’t want to sleep," Blair commented, one hand grasping the other man’s hand tightly.

"Then we should get to bed," Jim corrected, a smile appearing on his face.

***

Their clothes thrown haphazardly throughout the bedroom, two nude forms grasped each other under the bed’s covers. Jim, his back against the sheets, had his arms around Blair whose body was draped atop his. Running his left hand through Blair’s silky hair, he asked, "What do you want, Babe? What do you need tonight?"

Blair, his eyes closed as he caressed his lover’s chest, answered, softly, "I want to feel you. I need to make you come." He let his right hand drop slowly until it lightly touched Jim’s growing erection. Slithering his body lower, he moved until his lips grazed the tip, his tongue flicking once over the slit before he opened his mouth and, swirling his tongue around the head, engulfed it.

Throwing aside the comforter, Jim let out a moan and twisted the sheet within his fists. Losing himself in the slick, hot sensation of Blair’s lips moving up and down upon his shaft, he relished the feelings that overwhelmed him. Jim released the hold on the sheets and moved his hands downward to once again thread his fingers through his lover’s hair. Guiding his guide to just the right rhythm and angle, he happily sighed as Blair brought him off.

Blair licked Jim’s come-slicked member one last time and then glanced up at Jim’s face. Jim’s eyes were closed, relaxing into a wonderful post-coital bliss. Gliding back upward, he rested his head upon the sentinel’s chest, licking his lips to collect the last remnants of his lover’s semen.

"Jim," Blair murmured into the older man’s chest. "I love you, I love you, I love you," he chanted.

Jim wrapped his lax arms around Blair and kissed his forehead. "I love you, too, Sweetheart. More than anything." Shifting his body so that he was now looking down upon his lover, Jim eye’s followed his movements as he began to glide his right hand down Blair’s stomach. He looked back at the blue eyes of his partner, in surprise, as Blair’s lithe fingers stopped his advance. "But you didn’t…"

Blair shushed his concerned suitor, kissing the soft lips and then smiling. "I don’t need to," he began, and then kissed Jim again. "All I wanted…all I need is you."

Jim relaxed into the bedcovers and looked over at the love he never thought he’d find. Opening his arms, he beckoned Blair closer into his embrace. They lay there, enjoying the afterglow, for a few moments before Jim whispered, "I heard from Rafe, this afternoon."

Blair looked up, bewildered. "Yeah?" he asked.

Jim nodded. "He got a letter from the Preservation Project, yesterday. He was chosen in the random lottery. He flew out this afternoon."

"That’s wonderful!" Blair exclaimed, happy that his friend would survive the Hell that was descending upon them.

Jim trailed his fingers along Blair’s spine. "He wanted to make sure that you knew he said goodbye. He was sorry he didn’t have time to come see you, personally."

"I understand," Blair commented, snuggling deeper into Jim’s embrace. "I only wish more of our friends could have been selected."

Jim agreed. "Well, Conner managed to get back to Australia, so she’s safe. And Simon and Joan got back together. At least they’ll both be with Daryl when it happens."

"But Joel, and Henri, my friends at the university…" Blair trailed off. "We’ll never know if they made it to safety or not."

Jim frowned at that thought. "We’ll just hope they did, Chief." He tightened his embrace. "The damned Preservation Project has no idea what they’ve done." Jim’s voice raised, anger evident. "They pre-chose the so-called elite, the geniuses, the artists, and left the rest of us to fend for ourselves. How is that fair, Blair? My God!" he shouted, truly angry now. "You weren’t even chosen! Why on Earth did they not choose you?"

It was a thought that many of Jim and Blair’s friends had shared. In the years since the dissertation fiasco, Blair had received his doctorate, with honors; had successfully tenured his position at the university, and had published numerous favorably accepted papers on various anthropological subjects. By all accounts, he was one of the most respected anthropologists in the world.

Blair moved his hand from Jim’s chest to caress the tight jaw of his lover. "Jim," he paused, taking a deep breath, "they didn’t, and there is nothing we can do about it. Let’s not worry about it. We’re together, and that’s what is important. Can’t we just lie here and enjoy each other while there is still time?"

Jim sighed and attempted to relax. Kissing his lover, gently, they resumed their silent reminiscing of their lives together. Soon, both men were asleep, dreaming of happier times and good memories.

***

Dawn had yet to make its appearance, but nevertheless Jim was wide-awake, gazing lovingly at the compact body that slept within his embrace. Only the sentinel knew how long he had been staring, thinking, ‘processing’ as Naomi would say. But Jim knew that no matter how many hours he had been at it, it hadn’t been long enough to figure out a way to save Blair.

A soft noise interrupted Jim’s musings. Looking at the fluttering eyes of his love, he whispered, "Morning, Sunshine," and then smiled.

"Mmmm…morning," Blair said, shifting slightly, and burrowing deeper into the crook between Jim’s torso and arm. He looked closer at the man that held him and wondered what had awakened him so early. "What’s up?" he asked, curious.

Tightening his hold on the younger man, Jim closed his eyes and took a deep breath, preparing for the backlash that he knew Blair would quickly offer. "I, uh," he faltered then regained his composure. "I think you should try to make it inland."

Blair’s eyes widened, and he was instantly awake. "Jim, we talked about this. You know I would never make it far enough to reach safety, and I don’t want to die that way, Lover. I want to be here with you. This is where we belong."

Jim reached for a stray lock of Blair’s hair and swept it away from his eyes. His own eyes filling with unshed tears, he closed them before rasping, "I don’t want you to die."

"I know," Blair responded. He kissed Jim’s closed eyes and then his lips. "You’re the Sentinel of the Great City. This is where you belong, and I belong with you." He kissed Jim again harder.

Jim responded by wrapping his arms tighter around his lover and then turning so that he lay upon the younger man’s body. Forcing Blair’s arms against the sheets, Jim lazily kissed Blair’s forehead, skimming lower to lick the bridge of his nose. Still lower, his teeth grazed Blair’s chin, and then Jim moved to the right and began suckling the anthropologist’s earlobe.

Blair moaned in response as his ear was thoroughly examined with sentinel senses. The moan became a purr as Jim moved further downward and nibbled at the juncture between his neck and shoulder. He tried to raise his arms so that he could caress the back of his lover, but Jim had other ideas.

"My turn, lover," Jim rasped, still nuzzling Blair’s neck. "You’re mine, this time."

Blair’s back arched as the sexual energy pulsed around them. Excited, he began to pant as he surrendered all control to the man he loved. His thrill turned to surprised arousal as he was forcefully turned onto his stomach.

Gentle hands guided Blair’s until they lay above him, near the headboard. Sensitive fingers trailed down his forearms as a whispered entreaty caressed his ear. "Relax," Jim soothed, his fingers lightly brushing along Blair’s shoulders and then his back. He carefully placed a soft pillow beneath Blair’s hips, kissing the nape of his neck.

Jim shifted so that he lay beside Blair and then continued his ministrations to the younger man’s spine. He smiled as he listened to Blair’s sighs of contentment and then the little hitch in his breathing when Jim’s fingers dipped suddenly lower. He leaned over to whisper in Blair’s ear, once more. "Like that, Babe?"

"God, Jim, yes," came the reply. "Do it, Jim. Take me." Blair raised his hips, spreading his legs slightly in welcome invitation to his lover.

Jim smiled again as he continued stroking Blair’s lower back and then his buttocks. His fingers slid gently along the cleft and he paused for a moment, allowing his index finger to stimulate the puckered skin found just beneath. His began a gentle undulation with his finger as Blair’s breathing became more labored.

"Yes, Jim, yes," Blair panted as he willed his lover to advance his fingers inside him. "Please?" he begged.

Jim kissed the area between Blair’s shoulder blades as he let his left index finger slide inside. Moving his finger in and out, he paused for a moment and waited for Blair’s breathing to calm. Then, using a second finger, he re-entered, causing his lover’s opening to relax and enlarge. Just as Blair’s breathing sped up, and his moans became whimpers, Jim removed his hand from his lover and patted his buttocks, soothingly. He pulled Blair’s curls away from his ear and then flicked his tongue inside before whispering, "Are you ready, Sweetheart?"

A groan was his only reply as Jim repositioned himself until he sat astride his lover’s thighs. He reached for a tube of lubricant and coated himself liberally. Setting the container aside, he leaned forward, placing his hands just below Blair’s armpits. In a quick motion, he entered his lover, pausing to allow Blair’s body to adjust to the fullness.

And then he was moving. Back and forth like a machinery piston, altering his pace to keep Blair, and himself, on the cusp of orgasm. He lowered his arms so that he was resting atop Blair’s back, altering the angle in which he was entering his lover, and allowing each thrust to stroke the younger man’s prostate.

Blair’s moans became howls as he began to lose himself into the miasmic swirls of sensations surrounded him. He was vaguely aware of Jim’s hastening pace, the older man’s grunts and groans becoming more frequent and more resounding. Finally, Blair felt the approach of his own orgasm and began frantically grinding his hips for Jim’s pleasure as well as his own. His scream surely would have deafened the sentinel atop him, if it weren’t for Jim’s own primitive roar.

Jim pulled out from his partner and collapsed atop his heaving body, Blair’s sweat and Jim’s semen combining, as they each attempted to regain their composure. Pulling the wet curls away from his lover’s face, he kissed Blair’s cheek and then nuzzled his neck yet again. He placed his hands on top of Blair’s as they regulated their breathing to match one another’s.

"My God, James, that was fantastic," Blair uttered, still fighting for enough oxygen.

"You’re fantastic," Jim added, kissing Blair’s left shoulder. "I could stay like this all day."

Blair looked over at the digital alarm clock and grimaced. "But we’re going to have to get up soon, Big Guy. Derek is going to be here any time."

Jim grunted and then slid off of his lover, pulling a sheet from the foot of the bed and covering them both with its gentle softness. Relaxing into each other’s arms as they calmed and began to drift towards slumber, neither was aware that the other had fallen asleep until they were awakened, rudely, by the ringing of the doorbell.

Blair jumped out of the bed and hastily retrieved his pants from the loft railing. Tossing on Jim’s shirt by mistake, he was just buttoning the last button on his Levi’s as he trod down the stairs and toward the front door. "Coming," he muttered as he buttoned two of the shirt buttons and then called it good. He threw open the door, knowing who was on the other side and dreading it at the same time. "Hi, Derek," he said, trying and failing to smile.

Derek responded in kind and shuffled his weight from foot to foot. "Got the box ready, Mr. Sandburg?" he asked his friend and one-time teacher. "I gotta schedule to keep, ya know?"

"Sure, Der’. It’s right over here." He stepped aside, allowing the student to move inside, and then pointed at the large cardboard box. "Do you have very many more to pick up?" he asked as he watched the younger man study the box and gauge the best way to lift it.

"A few," Derek offered. "We have to be back at the University by one. That’ll give us enough time to get everything coded and entered into the vault. Should be a hoot in a few years, when the survivors open up the thing." He kneeled before the container and began to grip the edges.

Blair helped him to stand, balancing the package between them, and moving toward the still open door. Knowing the man before him was another not to be selected by the Preservation Project, Blair was at a loss as to what to say to the damned lost soul that stood before him. Finally, the weight of the box obviously bothering the young man, he uttered, "Be safe, my friend."

Derek nodded and then moved down the hallway to the elevator. Turning just as Blair began to close the door, he responded, "You too, man. You too."

Shutting and locking the loft door, Blair ambled through the living area, his mind fluttering from memory to memory as he gazed upon Jim’s and his shared belongings. Picking up the treasured snow globe, he held it lovingly as he climbed the stairs to rejoin his lover.

Jim held the sheet away from the mattress as Blair topped the stairs. After Blair had placed the globe on the bedside table, slid between the bed covers and snuggled against his chest, Jim lowered his arm, surrounding his lover inside a cocoon of security and serenity. They lay there in silence, each enjoying the warmth of the other’s body until the quiet was unceremoniously interrupted, again.

Blair smiled and laughed softly. "I think somebody’s hungry," he admonished, hearing Jim’s stomach growling loudly.

"No," Jim complained, tightening his hold on his lover. "Stay here."

"No can do, Jimbo," Blair turned to face Jim and smiled. "We have a fridge full of Epicurean delights. Let’s go enjoy them." He released Jim’s hold and slid from beneath the bed covers. Still dressed in his jeans and Jim’s dress-shirt, Blair stepped downstairs into their kitchen and began preparing a brunch fit for royalty.

Jim, still nude from their lovemaking, stretched luxuriously before tossing aside the sheets and finding his own clothes to wear. Locating a faded set of 550’s, he ignored his briefs lying beside the bed and stepped into the soft denim. Zipping the pants, he left the top button undone, preferring a more casual look for the day. Then, choosing a cobalt blue sweater that he knew Blair loved, he slid it over his head and enjoyed the sensations as it brushed against his skin and into place. Deciding on comfort over form, he left his feet bare as he moved cat-like to join his mate.

Stepping behind Blair, Jim wrapped his arms around his lover’s torso and kissed his cheek lightly. "So what’s on the menu?" He let his hand graze Blair’s nipples through the thin fabric of the shirt.

"You are insatiable," Blair exclaimed, rummaging through a drawer until he came up with the large knife he now brandished. Sobering, his eyes took in the stash of food that lay atop the counter. "So what do you want? We have a lot to choose from."

And they did. When they realized that their last meal would be spent at home, both Jim and Blair decided to have everything and anything they wanted. Glancing at the selection, he waved off the mess and pulled away from his partner.

"What are you doing?" Blair asked, turning and leaning back against the cabinet. He watched as Jim moved back toward the refrigerator and opened the freezer door.

"Aha, I knew we had some," came the exclamation from Jim, who still had his head inside the freezer. When he emerged, he held up a foil-covered Pyrex pan. He grinned as he walked back toward his lover.

Blair took a closer look at the package and gasped. "Jim! That’s a batch of the lasagna I made a month ago! You don’t want to eat that…"

A single finger stopped the anthropologist as it was placed upon his lips. "Yes, I do, Chief," Jim advised, rubbing the tip of his finger along Blair’s soft mouth. "It’s something you made. Something you…we both love. Who needs the delicacies of the world when I have you?"

Blair’s shaking hands took the offered dish and he turned to place it on the counter. Shoving the assorted foodstuffs aside with his elbows, he put the platter down and moved to pre-heat the oven. "It’ll be ready in a bit, Love," Blair said, his voice husky with emotion.

Jim bestowed another chaste kiss upon his lover before turning and retreating into the living room. Once there, he picked up some of the debris left from the previous night’s packing, and then located the remote control. He turned the television to the local news channel and returned to the dining room, swinging a straight-backed chair so that he sat astride it, his arms crossing atop the back and his head resting onto his arms as he watched the broadcast.

Hearing the news that he had been expecting, he allowed a sort of semi-zone to occur. Content in the silence that surrounded him, but still aware to the point that he could bring himself around if need be. He relaxed for a few moments until he heard Blair place the lasagna into the oven and softly walk toward him.

Blair stood behind the seated man and then gently moved forward, wrapping his arms around Jim’s neck. He watched the flickering images on the television and tightened his embrace. "Now you understand why I didn’t want to leave?"

"Yeah," Jim choked out, his voice rough due to the images before him. "I get it, Chief. I get it."

They both continued to observe the newscast. The images of grid locked thoroughfares and panicking masses sickening them. Finally, Jim grasped the remote and flicked off the set. Standing and wrenching away from Blair, he then threw the palm-sized device at the nearest brick wall. Turning to face his lover, he wrapped his arms around Blair’s body and held him closely, his body shaking. There was no chance to escape now. Their fate had been sealed.

***

The sun was settling in the western sky as Blair dried the last of the dinner dishes, fished out two bottles of beer from the fridge, and walked over to the open balcony doors. Stepping outside, he stood beside his lover and waited for Jim to take the offered drink.

"Thanks, Chief," Jim said, clearly listening, or looking, at something other than his guide.

"What do you hear?" Blair asked, standing beside Jim and gazing around the mostly abandoned neighborhood. All that he could hear was the mournful wail of a cat, a child’s pet probably, that had been left behind.

Jim swallowed thickly before answering. Turning to face Blair, his eyes glistened with unshed tears. "I hear…it…Chief. It’s getting closer."

Blair’s eyes widened at the idea. The scientist in him couldn’t help but be curious. "What’s it sound like?" he asked.

Jim listened for a moment. "I guess it’s just a really low rumbling…almost a physical vibration, more than a sound. It’s hard to explain, but I’m sure it’s the asteroid."

Blair couldn’t help but look heavenward in search of the asteroid that he knew was too far away for normal humans to see. "Um…" he whispered, "do you see it, too?"

Jim nodded. Moving to stand behind Blair, He placed his hands upon the younger man’s shoulders and turned them both so that they were facing west-southwest. Raising his right arm, he pointed at an area just to the left and above the setting sun.

"And?" Blair asked, not taking his eyes away from the spot that Jim had shown him.

"It looks…angry," Jim stated, simply, swallowing with difficulty, and clenching his jaw. "Like me." He turned Blair back toward him and they moved, as one, toward the chaise that sat in one corner of the patio. As they sank down beside one another, Jim’s body tensed with growing anger and frustration.

Shifting so that Blair was cradled in his arms. Tightening the hold, Jim hissed, "The Preservation Project are nothing but assholes…" He paused in his tirade when he felt his lover’s body stiffen within his embrace. "Blair? What?" He looked down to peer into Blair’s eyes and saw sadness and tears. He forced out a breath. "I’m sorry," he conceded, kissing the man’s forehead, and then laying back into the lounge chair.

"If I had been chosen, would you have wanted me to go?" Blair murmured, a single tear sliding down his cheek and dropping onto Jim’s chest.

Jim took a deep breath and prepared his response. Before he could utter a syllable, however, Blair stopped him with a kiss, pulling away and continuing his soliloquy, his gaze never leaving the sentinel’s eyes.

"Would you want us to be separated? Alone? Forever? You know you had to stay here. It is your territorial imperative. I understand that. That’s why we are still here, now." Blair’s eyes shimmered with love and with trust. "I have thought about this for weeks now, Jim. I know I could not have gone on without you.

"I only want for you to survive," Jim choked, his own tears now sliding down his face, wetting Blair’s auburn curls.

Blair moved closer, once again and placed a kiss upon the older man’s lips. When they separated, he whispered, "I couldn’t survive without you. I wouldn’t. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I would simply cease to exist."

Jim closed his eyes as a single sob wrenched from his chest. Before another could erupt, his lover’s caress silenced it as Blair cupped his cheek. His eyes re-opened to peer at the face of the man before him and he was surprised to find a contented smile.

"It’s a moot point, anyhow, ya know?" Blair quipped, trying to lighten the somber mood. "So let’s just enjoy what time we have. What time we have…together," Blair’s lips descended on Jim’s again for a kiss, long and brutal with its passion.

Settling more comfortably, they relaxed into each other’s embrace and gazed out upon the city skyline. The evening stars were just making their appearance; it was a strange omen that their last night would be one of clear skies.

Without moving to gaze at his partner, Blair asked, "How long?" He then burrowed his face into Jim’s chest and awaited the answer.

Jim looked skyward, listened, and then nuzzled his lover’s hair. "Not long…a couple of hours at most."

Silently, Blair disengaged himself from his lover’s embrace and stood, his legs only slightly shaky. His eyes hidden behind wayward hair, he held his hand out and offered to assist Jim in standing. Pulling the older man up, Blair did not relinquish his hold on Jim’s hand as he led his lover inside their home and up the staircase.

Blair sat his lover atop the bedcovers at the foot of the bed. Sitting beside the taller man, he smiled wistfully as he gently lay his palm upon Jim’s cheek. Not uttering a sound, Blair leaned forward and began kissing Jim’s lips with abandon.

As Blair’s tongue assaulted Jim’s mouth, Blair’s fingers were busy pulling the soft blue sweater upward from Jim’s torso. Not breaking the connection between their two mouths, Blair first worked Jim’s left arm out of the garment, then his right arm. Sighing, as his lips released their hold on his lover’s, Blair quickly dispensed of the sweater, throwing it so that it lay atop their dark oak dresser.

He attacked the sentinel once more. Forcing Jim’s body so that it lay in the center of the bed, Blair pounced, sitting astride the strong body beneath him. Bending forward, Blair placed both hands aside Jim’s face and then began to slowly slide them downward toward his chest. Massaging Jim, then, Blair’s hands began to circle, small radii first, then larger, stimulating the older man’s nipples.

Blair replaced the sensual touch with his even more arousing mouth, his lips encasing Jim’s left areola, and his tongue darting out and in and out until Jim’s nipple became an engorged, hard nub. Not wanting the other one to feel neglected, Blair moved to the Jim’s right and repeated the process.

Jim, for his part, was enjoying the attention that Blair was supplying. Knowing that Blair needed this…that Blair wanted this, only excited him more, and he wanted eagerly to participate. Moving his arms so he could thread his fingers through Blair’s curls, he smiled as a moan of appreciation tickled his ribcage.

Blair had moved lower, by then, sensuously licking and nibbling Jim’s ribs as if they were the dish of the day at Martinelli’s down the street. His breath hitched slightly as one of Jim’s fingers, now dampened by his own tongue, darted into his left ear, teasingly. Blair abandoned his anointing of Jim’s torso and moved upward again, delving deeper into his lover’s waiting mouth, his tongue dueling with Jim’s in a mating dance.

Breaking apart in need of oxygen, Jim began to whisper his lover’s name when a hand on his lips stopped halted his actions. Blue eyes begging for silence, sanctifying the event with actions and not words. He swallowed at the beauty of the event that was unfolding before him and vowed to not tarnish it with earthly utterances.

Jim’s resolve nearly melted as he felt Blair’s nimble fingers deftly lowering his zipper and divesting Jim of his denim pants. Naked now, before the man he loved, Jim shuddered as he felt a devotion as he had never known before. He wondered, idly, when Blair had removed his own clothing, as he was now nude beside his lover, slowly slinking downward toward the foot of the bed.

Blair’s lithe hands roamed over Jim’s torso, lowering slowly until they rested atop the fringe of hair that signaled the proximity of his growing erection. Blair stared at the sight before him, savoring it, before he allowed his hands to skim even lower; his right palm wrapped around Jim’s penis and his left gently stroking the older man’s scrotum.

Jim’s body arched involuntarily as contact was made between the two men. Biting his tongue, he gripped and released the bed sheets as the sensations grew and then dissipated, rhythmically, as Blair’s caress emboldened and then eased. Jim had almost regained control mere seconds before his senses once again skyrocketed out of control.

Blair had leaned closer, engulfing the large organ with his mouth. Licking the head of the member with his tongue, he relished the tangy, salty flavor of Jim’s pre-come and found himself moving his tongue over the tip again and again, attempting to obtain just one more sample of the musky delight. Only Jim’s whimpering slowed down his ministrations, indicating that he was exciting his lover too quickly, and he wanted the act to last long into the evening. He had more plans in store for his sentinel before it was over.

Lowering his mouth until Jim’s cock filled it and let the warm damp cavern soothe the overly sensitive organ. His hands, however, could not be stilled, and his left hand alternately squeezed and then rolled his lovers balls. His right hand gently milked the lower half of Jim’s erection, the combined actions keeping the sentinel excited, but not necessarily out of control.

Jim felt himself zoning on the enjoyable sensations that his guide was supplying him. He knew that an episode at any time was unfortunate, but having a zone-out while having mind blowing sex was guaranteed to produce the end result of a pissed off lover. Therefore, he concentrated on relaxing, and facilitated it by tracing loving caresses along Blair’s shoulders and back. Another moan from Blair gave him the extra boost he needed to pull himself completely back to the present activities.

Blair released his lover’s dick from his mouth and gazed lovingly upward at him. Suddenly, both hands released their treasure and he shifted until he was kneeling between Jim and the bedside table. Turning, Blair opened the nightstand drawer and extracted their tube of lubricant, wagging it seductively in front of Jim before handing it over and then lying on his stomach beside him.

Jim took the tube and opened it, placing a generous amount onto the fingers of his right hand. He moved them downward until they were poised above Blair’s bum. Shifting closer, he began licking Blair’s left shoulder as his fingers found their mark, thoroughly coating his lover’s asshole, and gently sinking a single finger inside, marking him. Marking Blair as his.

Blair sighed in contentment at the ministrations of his lover. Too soon, though, he knew it had to end, or his best-laid plans… Oh well. He shifted, signaling to Jim that he was taking the lead once again. Once his lover’s finger had been removed, Blair turned to face Jim. Smiling, he even giggled before moving back toward his lover’s groin.

Jim shifted, placing a flat pillow under his own head as he watched his lover kneel beside him and open the relinquished plastic tube. Squeezing some into his palm, Blair allowed the gelatinous product to warm slightly, before wrapping his fingers around Jim’s aching erection, spreading the solution completely around the organ. He then wiped his hand on a convenient towel and lifted his left leg, swinging his body so that he sat astride Jim’s pelvis, facing him.

Jim raised his eyebrows as he watched Blair shift downward slowly, his bottom poised scant centimeters from Jim’s weeping penis. He smiled as Blair blew an errant curl from in front of his eyes and giggled once again. Then their eyes locked, yet again, and Blair began to lower himself.

Jim watched, enraptured, never tiring of the sight of his love committing his body in such a fashion. Jim saw the concentration on Blair’s face as he moved slowly, deliberately, until the head of Jim’s cock embedded itself just inside Blair’s hole. He held his breath while Blair paused, allowing the initial discomfort to pass while his sphincter relaxed. Then, Jim exhaled as Blair began sinking again, impaling his own body onto Jim’s staff.

Once Jim was fully sheathed, it was his turn. Silently he reached for Blair’s waist, his large hands wrapping themselves around Blair’s torso, squeezing gently but firmly, preparing to guide the younger man through the first few moments. While Blair did the actual motions, it was Jim’s time to center him, allow the younger man to relax a bit and enjoy the sensations.

As Blair began to slowly lift his body away from Jim’s hips, his gaze focused on the man beneath him and he moaned from simple love and adoration for Jim. Lowering his body, yet again, he sighed in contentment, at the notion that his body was reconnecting with his lover’s. Again and again, Jim guided his love, their pace staying slow and sensual, each man enjoying the closeness.

Blair then began to speed the movements, taking more and more control back from his lover. Jim, understanding Blair’s desire to dominate the movements, released his hold with his right hand and brought it around to grasp the younger man’s weeping cock. Tightening and releasing in a perfectly matched rhythm with Blair’s strokes, Jim was thrilled to note that the pace was accelerating, the movements becoming more frantic, and Blair’s moans and sighs becoming more boisterous.

Jim allowed his own body to become more and more aroused, as well. His grunts and groans mingled with his lover’s as they moved closer and closer toward climax. He felt the tightening of Blair’s body as he neared orgasm, and Jim was pleased to note that he too was about to come.

Quickening his strokes, Jim gasped and then held his breath as the first streams of come shot forth from Blair’s penis, landing heavily onto Jim’s stomach. As the second rivulet began its arc, Jim felt his own balls contract, signaling his own zenith. Screaming madly, he shot his load inside his lover.

Blair, moaning almost constantly, continued his movements until he knew his lover was spent. Falling forward, he rested his head upon Jim’s chest, Jim’s cock nestled inside Blair’s hole.

Neither knew how long they had lain there in each other’s arms, afraid to break the contented spell that glorious lovemaking had woven around them. Knowing that they did not have forever on this plane, Blair finally shifted slightly, his hand coming up to gently caress Jim’s chest. He groaned in disappointment when the movement allowed Jim’s spent organ to slip out of him.

"How long?" he asked, his voice nary more than a whisper.

For interminable seconds, Jim did not answer and Blair recognized the signature tilt of the sentinel’s head, knowing his mate was sensing their oncoming demise. Ultimately, Jim tightened his hold upon the younger man and responded, "Not long now. Soon."

Relaxing into each other’s embrace, they snuggled deeper; each knowing that while short, their lives had been truly blessed. Each thinking about life, the universe, and awaiting the end of their existence on Earth.

"Any regrets?" Jim asked, smelling the scent of his lover’s hair, his cologne, his sex.

Shifting so that he could gaze into Jim’s cerulean eyes, blue eyes meeting blue, Blair answered, "None, Jim. I’m right where I belong. Forever."

A soft smile appeared upon Jim’s face at that comment and broadened as it was matched by Blair’s similar grin. Only the noise of the approaching asteroid forced their smiles to begin to crumble as the sound got louder and louder, to the point where sentinel hearing was unnecessary, and the vibrations became noticeable to both of them.

Blair lowered his head to rest upon Jim’s shoulder as the noise became even louder, almost deafening in its roar. The room began to shake and shudder as the approaching wall of water closed in on them. Strengthening their holds onto one another, neither Jim nor Blair noticed anything save for their two beating hearts, perfectly synchronous as they waited for the inevitable.

Neither man saw the fluttering envelope that slid from its hiding place under the bed; a single white sheath that held redemption, hope, and survival. A simple container that held what one man had wished for and another had dreaded. An opened wrapper from the United States Preservation Project…addressed to Blair Sandburg, Ph.D.

The End