Disclaimer: not mine. Nothing's mine. I own nothing. Well, I don't own reznor's 'nothing'---though I wouldn't mind. Could I just have a little piece? That corner right there? No. nothing for me. Darn it.
Spoilers: none for season one, since that no longer happened *winkwink*. Season two, no real big spoilers. Danny, that wonderful being, is alive, but he doesn't make an appearance *pout*. Takes place in that alternate universe where people are not quite right. Oh, wait, that's where the show takes place. Hmm...Somewhere around "Nailed" (because Ian looked so freaking cute in those braids *melts and sputters*!). before the bit with the creepy undead guy...not Irons! What wuz his name anyway??? (Daniel Germaine. R.I.P. hahaha!). Mr. Roger 'Devil' Daltrey was still applying his make-up for the production of this story.
I do believe that's all I have to say (all, you say?). on with the story! feedback! Much appreciated! Yayy!
Thanks. ^_^
Part One: So Happy Together
Chapter One:
Me and You and You and Me
After a whirlwind day at work, Sara was actually looking forward to a relaxed evening of shooting pool with Jake. The rookie wasn't always the best of company, a little too eager for her tastes he was, but he could always make her laugh (even if it was AT him). More time on the job would fix him, for better or for worse. Probably worse.
Oh boy, just what I need to make my day perfect, she sighed inwardly when she noticed an unmistakable black form leaning against the wall near her Buell Lightning X1.
"How do you always know where I'll be?"
Ian shrugged, giving her that 'I'm so dangerous I could snap your neck before you even realized I had moved' look. Which was quickly followed by the 'trust me, Sara, I'm just a big, harmless puppy that needs love and an occasional belly-rub' look. Sara watched it all with puzzlement, which directly fed into her frustration. She did not know how to deal with this man, and thus he was shoved into her category for all potential threats. And was approached as such.
"Special training, stalker-sense? Naw, I bet you've been standing there for hours, waiting to see if I'd come down so you could look all mysterious and crap."
He stared at her for a very long moment, making her hackles rise.
"Yeah, well, I got a sixth sense, too, Nottingham. And it warns me about you."
"Am I wearing a suit?" he whispered.
Not sure where he was leading, she raised one dark eyebrow. "Um...no?"
"Then I am not your enemy, Sara."
God, what kind of logic is that?! "You got a point? And if so, could you possibly get to it? Otherwise, I am going to be late for my date." Woah, Pez, where'd that come from? You ain't going on a date......oh, wow, that is definitely anger I'm seeing. Nottingham's the jealous type, who would have guessed it? Er, aside from being a stalker and all that---Wait a minute! Did you just bait him?!!
"You should be careful of that partner of yours, Sara. He is not all that he claims to be."
Moving past that bit of advice and breaking free of her own twisting thoughts, she gasped, "How did you know I was seeing Jake tonight!?" I didn't even know I was seeing Jake until twenty minutes ago! She had very unpleasant visions of Ian Nottingham eavesdropping on her phone conversations. Oddly it wasn't Jake's phone call that kept playing through her mind, but one, or several from Vic. Oh boy...
But he wasn't exactly thinking about her cavorting and lengthy discussions with the ME (as interesting as they were), but the call she had placed three nights ago to some teledating service. He wasn't quite sure what to make of that one.
"You are a force to be reckoned with, Sara. Even without the Witchblade. But you are only one person still. You need someone to watch your back."
"Oh, I've seen how you watch my back."
His head fell with that, like a string had snapped. It wasn't embarrassment, but something entirely different. Something she couldn't decipher, and quickly decided she didn't want to.
"Sara," Nottingham said with his head still slightly lowered and his eyes a bright, burning streak through his hair, "please do not be flippant."
Sara's open mouth snapped shut. Why do I feel like a naughty child all of a sudden?...And what right does have to chastise me?! "Listen here, you little---ow-OW!"
Ian watched in utter confusion as Sara began hopping up and down in what seemed to be pain. Hand already resting on one of his many, many weapons, he glared around them, but could not find the source of her discomfort. And then he noticed her rubbing frantically at her wrist, the witchblade swirling and glowing hotly.
"What!" Sara cried at her suddenly active bracelet, "I can't believe you're taking his side!" She stopped dancing in place, but the Witchblade continued to blaze, casting angry red flashes across its wielder's face.
Easing his body back out of full-battle-mode, Ian watched her eyes empty as she turned focus inward to the blade's pulling. Usually when it spoke to her, be it through voices or visions, she had an expression of surprise or disbelief. This time her face was all indignant outrage.
"I will not!"
Silence.
Silence.
"No!"
A longer silence this time, in which Ian watched on, fascinated. Seeing Sara become more and more spooked with each second that passed, he, not for the first time, wondered what horrors the blade was showing her.
"Forget it," she snapped finally, awareness swimming back to the surface. Shaking her head as if trying to shake free, she started for her bike and the world she had built, delusion by delusion, o so carefully.
The Witchblade clearly did not think the argument was over, for it sparked angrily, then morphed. Sara, so caught up in her escape, did not hear it, but Ian did. There was the sound of metal cutting through air, a sharp almost singing sound that rang in the ears long after it had vanished. It took Ian a tenth of a second to realize what happened before his eyes fell down to his left wrist and saw the silver tendril wrapped securely around it. Instantly he braced himself for pain, but there was none to be had.
Sara yelped in surprise, spun around and promptly dug her heels into the pavement to try and get free. Pulled off balance by the abruptness and her own struggles, she hit the ground hard and took a stunned Ian with her. Seeing as they were now connected at the wrist by the Witchblade.
"Ah! Get-get-get off me," Sara squeaked, pushing and shoving at a disheveled Ian, who was doing his best not to touch his lady more than absolutely necessary. It became increasingly difficult as she squirmed and twisted beneathe him. Then she stopped unexpectedly, having finally noticed that when she moved her right hand, his left followed.
"Well," she breathed quietly, "This can't be good." Then a somewhat coy look at him, "could you please move your knee? Nnn-NOT like that!!"
Ian flushed bright red, nodded. Surprise surprise, the lack of movement was actually beneficial to untangling their limbs. Ian sat up on his knees and then managed his feet. Sara was oddly quiet as he helped her up. The fact that he helped her up and she had actually let him did not escape his notice, though everything directly after did.
"This is just great," she grumped, first trying to dig through her coat pocket with her right hand, then her left when she realized she was pulling Ian's gloved hand closer to her body. He watched this all with interest and veiled eyes.
With a triumphant grunt, Sara wrestled the cel free of her pocket and hit Jake's number. He answered on the third ring.
"Hello!" came the rookie's voice, happily chirping through the static. Sara decided, once she had time, she would teach Jake the proper way to answer the phone. These 'hellos' and 'whassups' weren't cutting it.
"Hey Jake, you left yet?"
"On my way as we speak. Something up?"
"Yeah, I don't think I'm gonna make it." And here comes the 'why do you wanna go and rain on my parade' voice. She wondered about Jake sometimes.
(Jake's pouting actually audible, even watered down through the phone lines) "Any reason in particular, Pez?"
"I think I'm going to stay in tonight---"
"You got a man there or something your not telling me about?"
"No!" she snapped just a little too quickly.
"Listen, if you don't feel like the bar scene I can pick up a video and come over?"
Oh, he had the grace to make it sound like a request. Sara noticed that Nottingham was making very low growling noises. He didn't seem to be directing them at her, but to the phone she was now tentatively holding up to her ear. With his dark curls loose and hanging down around his eyes, she felt her body trying to slip into the defensive. She didn't know what his problem was with Jake, and she wasn't sure she really wanted to. Giving him a patented Pezzini glare, she turned in hopes of having a little privacy. Or tried to. Being connected at the wrist kind of made the movement pointless. Sara finally straight-armed him, forcing him as far away as possible.
"Did you just growl at me?" Jake's voice came back.
"No! I mean...thanks for the offer, rookie, but I kinda just want to be alone right now." Completely.
"Well, me and Danny decided that you, my friend, are spending way too much time alone. If you don't wanna come out and play then I guess I'll just have to come over there and cheer you up," he sighed, pouring the weariness on thick.
"God, Jake! I didn't know you were such a drama queen!" Was that Nottingham sniggering? Sara glanced over at him, but the face he gave her back was innocent and empty as a dolls.
"Ah-ah. I know what you're trying to do; and I don't distract that easily!"
If that comment had a pair of perky breasts, I bet you would. Outwardly she said, "Jake, really, I just want to relax and maybe get some sleep---"
"Oh, lookie at that! Why, I do believe that is the perfect place for me to turn around..."
Why this night, of all nights? It wasn't Jake's words that broke her down, but the image of her and Jake sitting on the couch with Nottingham, a big, black, unhappy presence between them. At least the bar was public. "Okay, okay, don't do anything hasty. I'll meet you there."
"Good thing, 'cuz I think I'm doing something illegal...damn it!" Sirens could be heard in the background. "I know I shouldn't have turned here! Hey, Pez, if you get there before me...wait." Jake hung up, leaving Sara with a smile that almost made her forget she was effectively hand-cuffed to her stalker.
"New York's finest," she shook her head and in the motion caught sight of Nottingham. How was she going to pull this off? She knew Jake would recognize him as the only surviving member of the Black Dragons. Not to mention he was an assassin and undoubtedly had a hand in several other activities of questionable repute.
"You should let me take care of him for you," Ian offered quietly.
Sara looked up from her reverie to see if he meant what she thought he meant. The animosity burning a slow, cold fire in his eyes said that he did.
She just shook her head and started back for her apartment, dragging Ian behind her.
TBC...