Watermark (Sentinel story)

Sentinel Fanfiction
Title:	Watermark
Author(s):	Tate
Date(s):
Length:
Genre:	gen
Fandom:	The Sentinel
External Links:	online here
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Watermark is a Sentinel story by Tate.

It's sequel is Wellspring.

Reactions and Reviews

This is really good. Maybe I like it better because this time the situation of hurt and comfort isn't artificially induced, but comes straight out of the series. I liked Blair's astonishment at Jim's actually saying what he feels - that's more like it! If you read nothing else by Tate, read this. Addendum: this story won the 2000 Cascade Times Awards in the "Sentinel Too story" category, and the "best epilogue" category. It was also nominated in the Alternative Universe Story category.

This list has been awfully slash heavy to this point. Time to rectify matters. I'm one of those TS fans who loved Sentinel Too, Part I for the way it shook up the boys' relationship, but was bitterly disappointed by the way things played out in Part II. Watermark is more the way I would have liked things to go. Blair isn't running off to Peru after his near drowning. He's been in a coma. Jim is so guiltstriken he can hardly stand to be in the same room with his gravely ill guide. So their friends have filled the void. Luckily, Blair wakes up, only to find he not only has to heal himself and his relationship with Jim, but face still more danger. I really like the way the guys interact here. It feels real to me and pretty close to canon. If you enjoy this story, there's a sequel, Wellspring, that takes a slightly different tack, but is equally good.

Why this must be read: Because it’s probably a more logical conclusion to SenToo Part One, albeit one that wouldn’t have fit the time slot or the action/adventure dynamics of the show. It’s what I refer to as a “left-turn AU”: a story that starts in canon but breaks away and goes down a different path.

In “Watermark”, Jim still raises Blair from the dead, but Blair is in a coma for six weeks and comes out a changed man. In point of fact, no one remains unaffected in this angsty “epilogue” that has a large dose of H/C and skirts the edges of TS smarm**. Well, perhaps more than skirts the edges; YMMV.

“Wellspring” picks up immediately after and is told from Jim’s POV. There’s an interesting case story and another big dose of smarm. Enjoy.

Oh, wow! I cannot say enough about this wonderfully gorgeous Sentinel Too follow-up piece. Tate kept us intrigued and dangling for pretty much the whole summer with this 15-part serial posted almost every Wednesday. Excellent characterization with Jim and Blair talking and finding ways to cure each other after Blair's near death and the complications that follow. Simon and Megan are both included in this story as well, both given good roles but not taking over the center stage which belongs to the Sentinel and his Guide ... and Alex Barnes.