The Truth

Disclaimer: I do not own Witchblade. I am merely borrowing the characters. Although, I do own Hope.

Note: This takes place before the end of Season 2. And I'm not sure if Faust is Sara's street name, so if I'm wrong, I'm sorry.

Sara's Apartment

1111Faust Street

New York City, 8:23 p.m.

Homicide Detective, Sara Pezzini sat on her windowsill, looking down at the street below. The ringing of her phone snapped her out of her trance. Getting off the sill, she found her phone and turned it on.

"Pezzini, go."

"Hello, Lady Sara."

"Nottingham. What can I do for you?"

"Have you ever taken the time to look at the night sky?'

"Have you been watching the X-Files?"

"No. I'm just curious."

"You can really see the sky in the city..." She answered, "do you have a point?"

"No. Not really."

"That's what I thought…hey, Ian?"

"Yes, Sara?"

"Do you ever feel like you're the alone in the world."

"Often. But then again, sometimes it's a good thing."

"Good bye, Ian."

"Good bye, Lady Sara."

They hung up and with the phone in hand, the wielder returned to her seat at the windowsill. A few minutes later, the phone rang again.

"Pezzini, go." She said when she answered the phone.

"Hey, Pez. It's Jake."

"Hey, McCarty. What's up?"

"Danny, Vicky, and I are going out to a club. Wanna come?"

"Sure."

"Cool. I'll pick you up in…let's say twenty?"

"Okay."

"See ya."

They hung up and Sara went into her bedroom, tossing her phone on the couch as she went. Inside her bedroom, she went to her closet and got out a pair of leather pants and a light blue tube top. She changed into the clothes, then went into her bathroom and did her hair and make-up. She had just finished getting ready when there was a knock at the apartment door. Sara bedroom and went to the door.

She opened it to reveal Jake McCarty, standing in the doorway, dressed in a pair of baggy black pants and a white beater.

"You look great." He told her.

She smiled. "You don't look to bad yourself, rookie."

"You ready?"

"Yeah. Let's go."

Jake moved and Sara exited her apartment, shutting and locking the door behind her. They left the apartment building and went to the street and got into his car. Sara sat in the back with her long time partner, Danny Woo. In the passenger seat was Vicky Po, the precinct's medical examiner. The woman turned and smiled at Sara.

"I'm so happy you decided to come!" Vicky exclaimed, "Despite the fact this feels like work."

That got a laugh out of everyone in the car. A few minutes later, they arrived at the club. Once inside, they instantly started dancing. The music flowed through the speakers and coursed through the dancing bodies. Vicky danced with Jake while Sara danced with Danny. They laughed happily as they danced, blowing off the stress of the day.

After a few songs, they went to find a table. When they found a table, it was a six-seater. Just as Sara sat down, two hands grabbed her shoulders. The woman looked up to see the smiling face of Gabriel Bowman. Beside him stood a beautiful raven-haired woman.

"Can we join you?" he asked over the music.

"Sure." Answered Sara.

The couple sat in the empty seats. The group chatted away for a few minutes then returned to the dance floor. This time, Sara danced with Gabe, Danny with Vicky, and Jake with Gabe's girl; Hope. As the song changed, Sara felt a presence behind her and two hands slid down her arms and settled at her hips. Without turning, she knew who it was. Gabriel, Jake, and Danny all exchanged looks and went back to the table with Vicky and Hope in tow.

"I don't trust him." Danny said.

"I don't either." Agreed Jake.

"Who is he?" asked Vicky.

"Ian Nottingham. A former Black Dragon and the late Kenneth Irons's man servant." Replied Gabriel.

"What's the Black Dragons?" asked Hope.

"A group of very deadly assassins." Answered Jake.

"I still think he's cute." Said Vicky.

The group looked back at Sara and Ian. The man wore a black tank top that showed off his muscles and the Black Dragon tattoo and leather pants. His straight hair was straight and loose around his shoulders. Ian's eyes and attention never left Sara. The woman danced close, eyes opened, watching Ian.

Sara went to the table with Ian close behind her. Sara took her seat while Ian stood. Hope looked up at the man.

"You can have my seat." She said, moving her of her seat and onto Gabriel's lap.

"Thank you." Ian answered sitting down.

Jake was gone, but reappeared a second later with a pitcher of beer and some glasses. Everyone grabbed a glass and Jake poured them some beer. Then poured some for himself a glass and took a drink. The group returned to the dance floor, minus Gabe, Hope, and Danny. Jake danced with Sara while Vicky danced with Ian.

Around ten, the group left the club through the back way that led out to an alleyway. When the group was almost at the end of the alley, two figures appeared. One was a man, the other a woman. Sara and Ian, who had been leading the way, exchanged looks. The woman stepped forward.

"We have come for the Witchblade." She said.

Danny, Jake, and Vicky were confused.

"You can not have it." Said Ian; "Sara is one with the Witchblade."

"Then I guess well have to extract it." The man said taking out a sword.

Simultaneously, Ian and Sara moved to the man and woman. The Witchblade morphed and took form on the wielder's wrist. The fighting began instantly, Sara against the woman, Ian against the man. During the fight, the woman produced a dagger and sliced Sara across her back. Ignoring the pain, the wielder knocked the woman into the wall, rendering her unconscious.

A split second later, Ian did the same thing. Before the others could do or say anything, Sara and Ian had vanished.

"Where do you think they went?" Jake asked.

"Her apartment?" suggested Vicky.

"No." said Gabriel, "Irons's mansion."

*

Sara stood in the large shower stall in the bathroom in Ian's bedroom. She didn't move when the door opened and Ian came in. His arms encircled her waist for behind. They both stood silent, not needing to talk. Ian was careful to not touch the wound that was beginning to heal on her back.

A few minutes later, they got out. Ian gave Sara one of his button up silk shirts to wear. Drying off, she put it on and was happy to find that it went to her knees. She located her panties and put them on. Then she and Ian left the room and went downstairs to the main sitting room.

Sara sat down on a chair while Ian started a fire. As the fire started to grow, Danny, Vicky, Gabriel, and Hope entered the room. Sara stood and walked to the fire, staring into the flames. Warming her body with the heat.

"Pez, what the hell was that all about?" demanded Danny.

She looked at him. His expression was mostly confused mixed with concern and a hint of hurt. The wielder looked to Ian, who nodded. Before she could say anything Vicky held up her hand.

"First of all, were you not slashed in the back by a dagger?"

"I was."

"Let me see it." Vicky said, "Just to see if you need stitches."

Sara turned her back to the group, then unbuttoned the shirt and put it over her bare chest. Vicky walked over to her and moved the hair away from the wound.

"Oh my god." The Medical Examiner said astonished.

"What?" asked Jake and Danny in unison.

"The wound! I-It's almost all the way healed."

"How?" Danny said going over to Sara and looked at the long cut.

"It's because of the Witchblade." Ian told him.

"What the hell is a Witchblade." Demanded Vicky.

"Uh, excuse me." Sara said, "If you're done, I'd like to put the shirt back on I'm getting uncomfortable."

"Uh, yeah. Go ahead." Said the M.E.

Danny and Vicky moved away and Sara put the shirt back on.

"My story begins not to long ago…" The wielder of the Witchblade began as she buttoned up her shirt, her back still to the group.

TBC…So what do you think? Feedback is well liked!