Title: Paying the Rent, Deep Water, and Uncharted Waters
Fandom: The Sentinel
Pairing: Jim/Blair
Categories: AU, angst, h/c
Length: epic (~150,000 words)
Warnings: rape

Author on LJ: cross_stitchery 
Author Website: http://elaine.slashzone.org/archive/


Review:
The hooker!Blair trilogy. I always am a little leery of hooker fics because, while I like the homeless!fic aspect of these types of stories, the prostitution angle usually falls under the Pretty Woman cliche (become a hooker and you'll land a great guy who is rich *and* handsome) or the Whore level of reality ( i.e., most hookers die young because their life *sucks*). While the latter is probably realistic, I don't read fanfic for realistm. Paying the Rent does a good job of showing the realistic side of hooking without making it unbearably dark, and by the end you are hopeful for Blair's chances of recovery.

I loved Paying the Rent, but I think Deep Water is even better: there is an interesting and well-developed mystery plot, Jim and Blair's relationship is realistically developed, and the story hooks in bits of canon in a beautifully organic and natural way. Best of all, Blair continues to grow as a character coming to terms with an awful past. The hurt/comfort here is exquisite, and even though Jim and Blair don't always get it right their dedication to each other is undeniable.

Uncharted Waters takes care of Lash, Borneo, and the question of whether or not Blair is going to join the police academy. I wish it had been a little longer (and that we got to see more of what happened between Deep Water and this story), but I love the way that the established relationship is handled and Blair's realization that he's not the only one in this relationship who had a traumatic childhood. My suggestion? Read the whole trilogy together and fall in love with the boys all over again.

Paying the Rent
Deep Water
Uncharted Waters