Another Mode of Belonging

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Fanfiction
Title: Another Mode of Belonging
Author(s): Grit Kitty
Date(s): 15 August 2002
Length: 10,265 words
Genre(s): Slash, Kidfic
Fandom(s): Sentinel
Relationship(s): Jim/Blair
External Links: Another Mode of Belonging at Grit Kitty's Alley
Another Mode of Belonging at AO3

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Another Mode of Belonging is a Jim/Blair story by Grit Kitty. It was originally posted to the author's site and 852 Prospect, the latter of which was imported to AO3.

Reactions and Reviews

Oh, this made me so. Very. Happy. Just... when kidfic works -- *really* works -- when an author puts the time and effort in to making a family story work...

God, it just fills a *need*, you know?

And in this story, Jim never stops being Jim and Blair never stops being Blair, and the kid is wonderful. Trust me. You won't regret reading this.

I found the ending a bit abrupt, but since I thought it could be fixed with the addition of one or two sentences (as opposed to, say, a chapter), I don't count it as a problem.[1]

Best FF That May Send You Scurrying for Additional Birth Control Options (and, If You Are Male, Induce Some Thoughtful Back-Dating): Another Mode of Belonging, by grit kitty. The Sentinel, Jim/Blair. This story fills a need I didn't even realize this canon had. See, the essence of TS is that Jim pretty much co-opts Blair. Seriously. Blair ends up doing Jim's work, living in Jim's house, coping with Jim's senses. And then, in the last episode, Blair loses the last vestiges of his own life. After I read "Belonging," I realized that parity could only be achieved by having some part of Blair's life overtake Jim. And that's exactly what grit kitty has happening here. Best part of this story is definitely Jim's mixed emotions and reactions to the presence of Blair's kid in his life; I don't think this could get any more realistic. [2]

This is one of the few TS stories I've read and liked in quite a while. It seems to me that most stories now are being written by people who have never seen the show. (I could be wrong, but it seems that way to me.) Since the show is no longer being rerun on the Sci-Fi channel the quality of the fic has gone way down. Most stories I've seen come onto lists are AU's, I mean serious AU's that don't even take place in the canon TS universe. Now I don't mind a good AU now and then, but I like to see stories written in the show's universe more times than not. This one here actually does, thank goodness. It takes place some time after the ep TSbBS. Blair is a cop. He and Jim have been lovers for a while now. Fate decided to throw them both a curveball in the form of a daughter Sandburg didn't know he had from a brief relationship that ended a while ago. Both guys have to learn how to deal with the changes in their lives. Priorities have to shift and they both have to figure out how to make things work. Blair has to give up some things to care for his daughter and Jim has to figure out how he fits into this new little family. I thought Jim's confusion in this story and struggle to hold onto this new family he didn't know he wanted really made it all work for me. It's a nice story that is so rare in this fandom now. Definitely one to check out for those of us who remember the glory days of this fandom. Who really want it back.[3]

References