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Chapter Text

Jim scanned the wide expanse of ocean and wondered when his terror of open water had vanished. Probably when Sandburg became a permanent part of his life. That's when so many things became better. He looked at his partner, standing next to him at the railing, and smiled.

"Are we almost there? Can you feel it?" Blair asked, certain Jim would be able to sense the magnetic North Pole.

Perhaps he could. Jim did feel a thrum building in his gut. Whether it was the magnetism at the top of the world or the excitement of fulfilling a dream was hard to say. "Nah, not yet, Chief," Jim replied, pulling Blair into a one-armed hug. "Remember this is just the first leg of the journey."

*****

Much to Jim's surprise, getting a berth on this state-of-the-art ice breaker hadn't come as a result of his old military contacts. Instead it was a chance meeting with a Royal Canadian Naval officer as they shot the breeze during a joint task-force debriefing, masquerading as an impromptu fishing trip, that got them on the ship.

The bust was huge--a Canada-U.S. smuggling ring that landed personnel on both sides of the border in their respective military prisons. Over roasted fish and beer, the task-force members had shared their "bucket lists", and the grateful commodore arranged to grant one of Jim's wishes: a trip to the North Pole. There was only one drawback: the ship was traveling in the dead of winter. They'd reach the Pole by Solstice.

Blair thought he was nuts but, as with most things, he tended to indulge Jim. Grumbling for a solid week as they packed, Blair finally looked at Jim, his happiness and excitement erasing years from that beloved, care-worn face, and shut up. Of course, that didn't mean that Jim was entirely off the hook. Blair got some spectacular sex in the days before leaving; not really a hardship for Jim. Knowing that they'd probably have to abstain for the duration spurred them to greater heights of creativity and intensity.

In the end, Blair's own sense of adventure finally kicked in. The clear skies provided a stunning view of the aurora borealis. Blair spent a scandalous amount for a new Logitech digital camera so he didn't have to worry about running out of film. It had a "review" feature, "so I'll know if the picture I took sucked. I can take another one right away," Blair enthused.

*****

Jim gave Blair an indulgent smile, which morphed into the goofy grin he'd displayed since they started this journey. The tingle in his gut was getting stronger, just as a sailor approached to let them know it was time to pack it up. "This is our stop, Chief. The dogsleds and guides will be waiting for us at the station."

Blair's eyes widened; the reality of their situation hitting home. Jim wondered whether Blair had that same look right before he jumped out of that plane over Peru. Perhaps, but Jim had no doubt Blair would follow him as staunchly now as he did back then.

Chapter Text

One week earlier:

"Jim, hurry up. We've got to get to REI before it closes."

"What's the rush? We've got a week." Jim would have preferred hitting the gym to prepare for their trek.

"You're joking, right? Have you looked at all the cold-weather gear out there? We're going to need plenty of time and some expert advice to do it right. We can't screw this up or we're dead!  Or miserably cold."

Jim couldn't find a good argument, so they left for the mall. Luckily, price was no object. As he negotiated downtown traffic, Jim contemplated their recent changes in fortune.

*****

It started badly; a fire fight that left him shot three times and Blair faced with the real possibility of planning Jim's funeral. During his painful recovery, he recognized at last that Blair loved him; it gave Jim the courage to reveal his own feelings.

Hard on the heels of that epiphany came another: Jim was disheartened at how his efforts to protect Cascade seemed to make little difference. Perhaps it was the pain talking, or his age, or the fact that he had someone worth living for, but he started rethinking his life choices.

Enter Captain Simon Banks, who visited Jim during a particularly tough physical therapy session. "Jim, how's it going?"

"I don't know, Simon," Jim replied dejectedly. "It seems each time I get hurt it's harder to recover."

Simon looked at his detective, who was also his good friend, and took a deep breath. "Jim, my timing might stink, but I'm going to propose something." Jim started to speak, but Simon put out a restraining hand. "Just hear me all the way out.

"I've been asked to head a multi-discipline regional force which will target the head honchos of crime throughout the country, and I'm seriously considering accepting. It just seems that between the privileged and the politics, we never get the chance to cut off the head of the snake, and I'm sick and tired of it.

"You and Sandburg would be invaluable. He's a great profiler and you could use your skills and the senses to gather intel and run the operations that could really make a difference.

"Because I understand why you two need to remain a team, I can provide the same umbrella of protection I do now. On top of that, the pay's a helluva lot better and, because you're on the planning end, there's a lot less danger," Simon finished, giving a meaningful look at the therapy equipment Jim was using. "I honestly think we could make a difference, Jim. What do you say?"

In the end, it was an easy decision.  Simon's description was no exaggeration.  Jim and Blair were welcomed and respected, their teams were given enough resources and authority to be successful, and they both received better salaries than either ever expected.  And, in the past three years, neither Jim nor Blair had ended up in a hospital emergency room. 

*****

Present day:

Jim looked out over the solid white expanse, unerringly turning north. He checked the sleds, the rigging and supplies. The dogs actually looked eager; perhaps they could feel Jim's excitement.

Finally, he looked at the love of his life. Blair was resplendent in the best cold-weather garb money could buy. Gone was the ridiculous Fargo hat and bulky layers that never truly kept him warm and dry, replaced with sleek fabrics designed for comfort and flexibility. Jim gave an appreciative wolf whistle. Blair grinned and, using his compass to make sure they were actually heading north, guided them on their latest adventure.